World of Apple

A pair of filings for the iPad have appeared in the Federal Communications Commission database just a day after Apple made the iPad available for pre-order. The filings discovered by Engadget are for the Wi-Fi (A1219) and the Wi-Fi + 3G (A1337) models of the iPad.

The filings reveal very few details as Apple has requested 180 days of confidentiality on external photos, internal photos, test setup photos and the user manual.

What is revealed is that both models have been tested for 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.0, the Wi-Fi + 3G model has been tested for GSM 850/1900 and UMTS 850/1900.

Last week Mac4Ever reported that Apple is working on a new Mouse with touch-sensitive areas capable of “complex movements”, later this week AppleInsider also included details of a new mouse which is expected to debut alongside new iMacs in the coming weeks.

AppleInsider notes that building upon patent applications stretching back to 2006 Apple intends to remove the scroll ball from the current Mighty Mouse and include a scrolling area sensitive to the touch of user. Additionally the familiar white plastic is expected to be removed in favour of an aluminium finish, clashing with Mac4Ever‘s report from earlier in the week.

On top of these rumours Engadget points towards filings by Apple with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking approval for new Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. The new keyboard and mouse are identified by new model numbers of A1314 and A1296 and the dimensions in the reports would suggest that the new keyboard is even smaller than the current.

The collaboration of rumours and FCC filings would suggest a near imminent release of the new keyboard and mouse which is expected to be alongside new iMac, Mac mini and MacBook computers.

In addition to Apple answering the FCC’s questions regarding the supposed rejection of Google Voice apps from the iPhone app store.

In Apple’s response the company said that it has not rejected the official Google Voice app but “continues to study it”. Apple’s main concerns lie with how the app contrasts with “the iPhone’s distinctive user experience” and “disables Apple’s Visual Voicemail.”

AT&T’s (below) response clearly states that the official iPhone carrier had no role in Apple’s consideration of Google Voice or related applications. The Apple and AT&T deal prohibits the operation of VoIP calls on AT&T’s network, but AT&T plans to “take a fresh look” at authorizing VoIP apps that run on 3G.

Google’s response is strange completely redacted as seen below.

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As predicted Apple submitted its comments to the Federal Communications Commission regarding the purported denial and removal of Google Voice apps from the iPhone app store. Apple has published its response to the questions on the Hot News section of its website.

Apple’s full response is below.

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According to the USA Today Apple and AT&T (and Google presumably, although not mentioned by USA Today) are set to release their statements to the Federal Communications Commission to explain why Google’s free Google Voice service and associated apps were banned from the iPhone.

The article goes onto mention that Google may find itself in some bother over the company denying the use of the VoIP Skype on the Android phone platform.

Consumers who use Android, the Google-developed operating system for wireless devices, can’t use Skype, a leading Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. A pioneer in free Internet calling, Skype allows you to talk as long as you want without draining cellphone minutes.

Android users get Skype Lite, a watered-down version of the original that routes calls over traditional phone networks — not the Internet. As a result, long-distance calls are still cheap or free, but cellphone minutes are gobbled up every time a Skype Lite call is made.

Google has reportedly been asked to address its own application approval process for Android as part of the FCC’s investigation.

Following the rejection and removal of Google Voice apps from the App Store the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has now begun an investigation into the process involved in app approvals and what role AT&T plays in the process.

To offer some background, Google Voice is a service originally known as Grand Central, at the most basic function Google Voice offers a single phone number of your choice that will ring multiple phones, e.g. work, home, mobile, etc. Along with this unified number there is also a unified voice mail system, accessible via the web. Google Voice also allows listening in on voice mails as they’re being left, setting custom away messages for different callers, blocking of telemarketers and many more features.

Several third party Google Voice apps had been available on the App Store for some months and Google had submitted the official app for review not long ago. The apps main functions are to facilitate dialling out of the phone using the Google Voice number, sending SMS messages, showing a call history and access to the online voicemail system.

On July 27 Apple rejected Google’s official iPhone app and removed all the previously approved apps from the App Store causing uproar amongst the media and iPhone owners. At the time it was unclear whether the decision was Apple’s or AT&T’s, it was later revealed that AT&T was most likely behind the ban.

Today it has been revealed that the U.S Federal Communications Commission has taken interest in the matter. In letters sent to Google, AT&T and Apple the FCC makes mention to an ongoing case started by Skype which questions wireless open access and also another case regarding handset exclusivity.

All the letters as well as the document containing details about RM-11361 can be seen below.

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The FCC has lifted any limitations on displaying iPhone 3G documentation to the public.

iPhone 3G will ship in 22 countries on July 11.

The FCC has granted Apple’s Bluetooth Headset approval.

Apple has kept details of the Bluetooth headset quite low profile since January when it was briefly mentioned by Steve Jobs in his Keynote.

Danika Cleary holds the iPhone Bluetooth Headset at Macworld 2007

Apple also briefly mentions it on the iPhone website.

Drawing of Bluetooth Headset from FCC Documents

A full test document obtained from the FCC filing can be seen here (PDF).

Apple has received approval for the iPhone this afternoon, the Federal Communications Commission have Apple the green light to commence sales after testing the device for months.

The FCC lab manager wrote the following in a SAR test report:

“The Apple Inc. A1203 GSM Cellular Telephone with Bluetooth and Wifi, FCC ID: BCGA1203, is in compliance with the limits for general population uncontrolled exposure specified in FCC 2.1093. The device was tested according to the measurement standards and procedures specified in FCC OET Bulletin 65, Supplement C (Edition 01-01) and IEEE p1528/D1.2, April 21, 2003.”

Apple requests confidentiality in a letter to the FCC

In a letter to the FCC Apple has requested that Test Setup Photos, External Photographs, Internal Photographs, and the iPhone User Manual be kept confidential for 45 days from the point of approval.

In the same letter Apple has requested that the iPhone’s Block Diagram, Operational Description, Radio Schematic, Radio Bill of Material, Radio Tune-up Procedure, and Exhibit notes be kept confidential indefinitely.

According to reports Apple has submitted a filing with the FCC for a Bluetooth version of the Mighty Mouse which was introduced back in August 2005.

The new Bluetooth Mighty Mouse

The new mouse will be exactly the same as the current version except using Bluetooth for its wireless feature, the mouse will use two standard AA batteries.

The mouse is current codenamed M6 and according to sources should arrive very soon.

View the new Mighty Mouse User Guide, and some more pictures, here and here.

With further investigation into the Bluetooth Mighty Mouse it appears that the mouse no longer uses LED tracking but makes use of Laser tracking which is much more accurate and works on a larger variety of surfaces.