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Jason Gilbert
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The Worst Apple Rumors Of 2011: The Year In Outrageous Predictions

First Posted: 12/31/11 12:04 PM ET   Updated: 12/31/11 01:14 PM ET

2011 was a total cluster-schmutz of terrible, embarrassing, questionably-sourced, often outrageously-premised and bombastically-written Apple rumor stories that never came true, a truly hallmark year for getting things totally and un-apologetically wrong about Apple's future plans and products.

The end of December is, besides being a slow point in the tech news cycle, an ideal time to look back on how we all went so wrong; so don us now our 20/20 hindsight goggles (with 4G LTE and a bigger display screen!) and give a toast to everyone with an anonymous source who gave them awful information: Better luck next year, fellows!

Welcome to The Worst Apple Rumors of 2011. As you may know, I do a weekly roundup called This Week In Apple Rumors, a running catalogue of all those who claim to know anything about Apple's upcoming products; you can follow that thread weekly, or, if you want up-to-the-minute baseless, link-baiting Apple speculation, you can follow me on Twitter.

The iPad 3 Will Be Released In 2011
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Much of the rampant speculation began in February, when widely-read Apple writer John Gruber speculated -- and we're talking SPECULATED, based on no inside information whatsoever, a fact he admitted outright in the column -- that his gut was saying that the iPad 2 would be released in Spring 2011, followed by the iPad 3 in Fall 2011, perhaps in September. Despite what should have been everyone's better judgment, news outlets went bananas on this column (One headline: "Gruber Confirms iPad 3 In Blog Rant?") until March, when the iPad 2 was released and Apple, in an announcement accompanied by a sad trombone, dubbed 2011 "The Year of the iPad 2." This seemed to rule out that a second iPad would follow later that year; Apple bloggers everywhere shed a single tear for a device there was never any evidence existed.

The trail of the single tear was still moist in May when everyone forgot that Apple had said 2011 was The Year of the iPad 2 and went bananas again. A May report from T3.com put the iPad 3 on track for a September release; a concurrent rumor claimed the iPad 3 would be a glasses-free 3D device, which I suppose could still be true (I'm dubious of Apple promoting one of its products with such a stupid gimmick, but I've been wrong before). The 2011 iPad 3 rumors mounted and mounted: A May article from Reuters put the iPad 3 on track for Q4 2011 release, and then Asia weighed in with reports from the supply chain: An analyst working in Hong Kong said that a 4G iPad 3 would arrive just in time for Christmas; Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes reported in July that Apple would start production on the iPad 3 in September and would make it available in October; Japanese Apple site Macotakara independently confirmed that DigiTimes was correct.

And that's not all: Also in July, non-Asian tech siteThe Verge nee This Is My Next reported that the iPad HD would be released in Fall 2011, as did FBR Capital Markets analyst Craig Berger.Isn't it comforting to know that in this day and age of multinational aggression, distrust and strife that we, as a planet, can sometimes come together and all be wrong about the iPad 3's release date as one?

It was at this point, in August, that The Wall Street Journal weighed in with a report that, due to problems with the display screen on the supply chain, the iPad 3 was being pushed back to 2012. Analysts agreed, with most predicting that the iPad 3 would be released in early 2012 a.k.a. exactly one year after the iPad 2 was released a.k.a exactly the way that Apple ALWAYS released iterative updates to its devices.

2011 really was the year of the iPad 2. Boo hoo.
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2011 was a total cluster-schmutz of terrible, embarrassing, questionably-sourced, often outrageously-premised and bombastically-written Apple rumor stories that never came true, a truly hallmark year ...
2011 was a total cluster-schmutz of terrible, embarrassing, questionably-sourced, often outrageously-premised and bombastically-written Apple rumor stories that never came true, a truly hallmark year ...
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book1773
0 Fans
12:07 AM on 04/26/2012
From what I have been seeing the much anticipated iPhone 5 is expected
to be launched in October 2012. The is expected to be a hand full of new
features of the device like FaceTime is a video call feature. We will see
what happens.

http://www.facebook.com/Iphone5arrival
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iLdoRight
Encouraging The Rightest Rightness
87 Fans
02:12 PM on 01/03/2012
Where do I find the latest Microsoft rumors ? I would like to see if anyone thinks Microsoft floated out some "non-genuine 7s" so they could then pester people into buying the genuine.
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EndBiasNow
0 Fans
09:19 AM on 01/03/2012
It's official. The interwebz are out of news.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Allen Bouchard
I worship His Divine Shadow.
153 Fans
 
09:13 AM on 01/03/2012
Apple will release a product that's worth buying.
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RecreationalPilot
1158 Fans
09:10 AM on 01/03/2012
How much does it cost to have an ad/article at the top of a section for a day or more?

is it $20K a day, or is it $40K a day?
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ingua2
9 Fans
08:34 AM on 01/03/2012
Worst apple rumors.. ALL OF THEM. Why? Because places like HuffP()()P and CaptainOblivious blindly push the Apple agenda. We all have Apple fatigue at this point.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
rabit818
254 Fans
07:29 AM on 01/03/2012
A wrap up of rumors and not just rumors but of the outrageous variety.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Sol76
222 Fans
02:46 AM on 01/03/2012
At the time that the iPad 3 rumour was spreading, the iPad 2 launch was looming. It seemed like an attempt to deflate the excitement and hype of the iPad 2 amongst consumers that were decided on purchasing on launch. If people were not willing to post-pone an iPad 2 purchase for any other competing tablet, they might be willing for the iPad 3. That would give any competitor the time to bring their own product to market and scoop up the hold-outs unconvinced of the iPad 2's superiority to something newer.

The rumour was too convenient for competitors. It was orchestrated by someone planning to siphon sales of the iPad 2, someone intent on being in the tablet business in the long term.
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JasonMcl
8(Na) + 8(Na) = BACHMAN
317 Fans
08:46 AM on 01/03/2012
Apple does some of that to themselves though.

By making just minor changes to each iteration they keep people on the fence. "I just got a 4, Should I get a 4S or wait for the 5?". But if they had released the 5 in place of the 4S it would be a different story, everyone who had to means to get one would probably do so.

The same with the iPad2. It is still out there with the same screen resolution when there are 4.65 inch android phones that show more pixels.

Apple doesn't want customers to be disappointed they have to put a little more effort into the devices.
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2crudedudes
139 Fans
11:38 AM on 01/03/2012
It's a conspiracy, man. Pass the Doritos.
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MichaelMcKLA
I'm moving to Pandora.
1363 Fans
12:06 AM on 01/03/2012
I got a new iPhone 4S today. :) It's cool. I have hearing problems and I was pleased to find out its volume goes up quite a bit louder than my old 3G.
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ingua2
9 Fans
08:35 AM on 01/03/2012
glad to hear you bought old technology. way to push that apple agenda
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MichaelMcKLA
I'm moving to Pandora.
1363 Fans
12:41 PM on 01/03/2012
Grow up.

In 1985, you would have been defending the PC's character-based display against the Mac. LOL
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RecreationalPilot
1158 Fans
09:11 AM on 01/03/2012
Still a year behind the Galaxy S II, but what the hey... it's an Apple.

You'll look good in Starbucks. Oh, not anymore - their customers ditched Apple too.
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MichaelMcKLA
I'm moving to Pandora.
1363 Fans
12:41 PM on 01/03/2012
Oh lawd, get over it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
bessielil
trying to organize hummingbirds
385 Fans
11:16 PM on 01/02/2012
Thank you for handing out the phrase 'cluster-schmutz'. I need the word for polite company, and schmutz is perfect only partly because it's hard to get rid of.
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Jon Nadelberg
29 Fans
08:03 PM on 01/02/2012
OK, so the point of this is....what?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
J0E1
Phil Hill 2012
686 Fans
08:17 AM on 01/03/2012
Free advertisement for Apple.
Permalink  |
RecreationalPilot
1158 Fans
09:12 AM on 01/03/2012
I don't think it's free.
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One Last Time
358 Fans
06:00 PM on 01/02/2012
I don't want to tell you how to run your site, H P, but if you reported news, instead of rumors, perhaps such an end-of-year wrap-up would not be necessary.
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nobodyzhome
9 Fans
09:04 PM on 01/02/2012
So true, so true.
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ingua2
9 Fans
08:36 AM on 01/03/2012
without Apple "articles" each day, sh33p like CaptainOblivious wouldn't frequent the site. They need click-through flows.
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One Last Time
358 Fans
09:40 AM on 01/03/2012
Was it really necessary to hurl insults at individuals. And if so, can you kindly start your own thread and leave me out of it?

Thank you.
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Deejay Sweetlife
49 Fans
05:27 PM on 01/02/2012
One thing that's crippling the stock price is the HORRIFIC new iPad OS update...straight garbage. Oh yes Apple, I love apps closing with no apparent rhyme or reason! Also, I love having to sync several times to get my music to finally transfer! Like I don't have better things to do....
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Mydian01
two by two, hands of blue.
609 Fans
 
06:56 PM on 01/02/2012
so invent the perfect OS.. ill wait.
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skgserenity
26 Fans
02:04 AM on 01/03/2012
Hello fellow Browncoat! Still Flyin'!
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2crudedudes
139 Fans
11:40 AM on 01/03/2012
nobody is asking for perfection, just basic usability.
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theveggiedude
my body is a temple, not a living graveyard
261 Fans
 
04:25 PM on 01/02/2012
Now you know why AAPL could not get much past the $400 mark for the year. These rumors cripple the stock price.
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War peace
41 Fans
02:04 PM on 01/02/2012
Apple PII game console coming fall 2012 you heard it here.
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