Everything we've heard so far about iPhone 6
When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5, the reaction
was a bit muted: where previous phones were
massive leaps forward, the iPhone 5 was a bit
longer and a lot easier to scratch.
So what can we expect from the next iPhone, the
iPhone 6 or 5S? Let's see what we can glean from
the varying sources of the internet - some
reliable, some not so much.
One thing is for sure, with the release of such
super handsets as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony
Xperia Z and HTC One, the next iPhone will have
to seriously up its game.
iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5S are two
different phones
The rumour mill doesn't seem too sure whether
the next iPhone is going to be the iPhone 5S or
the iPhone 6. Given the iPhone's history - from
the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S
model before the next numbered iPhone - we'd
bet on an iPhone 5S first and an iPhone 6 a while
later.
However, in May 2013 Stuff reported it received a
photo of the till system at a Vodafone UK store
(which it has since removed along with the
reference to Vodafone), with '4G iPhone 6' listed.
Interesting.
It's been suggested that there could even be three
size variants of the new iPhone - check out these
mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich. He calls
the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6
XL.
Could we see both an iPhone 5S and iPhone 6
this year? Some reports suggest a new 5S in the
middle part of the year before a revamped iPhone
6 towards the end of the year or very early in
2014.
iPhone 6 release date
Many pundits predict a summer iPhone 6 release
date. It's quite likely that Apple is moving to a
two-phones-per-year upgrade cycle, but we'd
bet on a springtime 5S model and a bigger,
iPhone 6, update in the Autumn, probably
September.
Digitimes reckons predicts a summertime reveal
for Apple's next generation phones, which again
fits with a WWDC unveiling. In May it became
clear that US carrier Verizon introduced an iPhone
5 price cut of as much as $100 USD.
Reports in April also suggested that Foxconn has
added as many as 10,000 assembly line workers
per week to its Zhengzhou plant as it readies itself
for the iPhone 6 release date.
But Jefferies analyst Peter Misek reckons we'll see
an iPhone 5S first, with a June 2014 release for the
iPhone 6. Citi's Glen Yeung also believes that we
won't see an iPhone 6 or cheap iPhone until 2014.
iPhone 6 cases
Multiple rumours say Apple's working on plastic
cases for its next iPhone, mixing plastic and metal
in such a way that "the internal metal parts [are]
able to be seen from outside through special
design."
It's unclear whether such cases would be for the
iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, or if Apple is simply
considering making cheaper iPhone 4s to sell
when the iPhone 3GS reaches the end of its life.
Speaking in March 2013, a KGI analyst said it
believed Apple would turn to manufacturer
Pegatron to make up to 75 per cent of low cost
iPhone products.
The iPhone 6 will finally do NFC
That's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek: it'll have a better
battery too, he says. Many Android phones now
boast NFC.
PayPal's chief information security officer, Michael
Barrett said this during a recent keynote speech:
"There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone
on the market later this year," he said. "Not just
one, multiple."
Could this be inside the iPhone 6?
See our video below on what Apple needs to do
to slay Samsung's Galaxy S4
The iPhone 6 will run iOS 7
Developers are seeing new iPhone model
identifiers in their server logs: the device identifies
itself as the iPhone 6,1 (the iPhone 5 is 5,1 or 5,2)
running iOS 7, and its IP address is an Apple one.
We're expecting a September or October release
date for iOS 7 in line with previous releases. We'll
almost certainly see a reveal at WWDC in early
June. Apple has promised to give devs "an in-
depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X".
9to5Mac spoke with several sources who said the
new iOS 7 will be attractive to new iOS users but
may alienate older iPhone addicts. Described as
"very, very flat" by one source, another said the
interface is without gloss and shine and is rather
like Microsoft's Metro design language on
Windows Phone.
iPhone 6 storage
We've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a
128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-
spending early adopters love this stuff.
iPhone 6 home button
According to Business Insider, of the many
iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a
giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form
factor with no home button. Gesture control is
also possibly included" - more on that shortly.
Mind you, it was mooted that Apple would dump
the home button in time for iPhone 5, but it never
happened.
iPhone 6 screen
The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display, would have a
1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely
reported that Apple could introduce two handset
sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of
Android devices now on the market.
Take this one with a pinch of salt, because China
Times isn't always right: it reckons the codename
iPhone Math, which may be a mistranslation of
iPhone+, will have a 4.8-inch display. The same
report suggests that Apple will release multiple
handsets throughout the year over and above the
iPhone 5S and 6, which seems a bit far-fetched to
us.
Patents show that Apple has been thinking about
magical morphing technology that can hide
sensors and even cameras
. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.
Could the touch screen even be transparent?
Emirates 24/7 sin't the first source we'd turn to
for bone fide rumours about a new smartphone,
but it claims that an ultra-sensitive transparent
touchscreen will make it into iPhone 6. The site
also believes the display will be made by Sharp,
which wouldn't be so surprising. One thing's for
sure - a potential wraparound screen is probably
a pipedream.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also says he believes
the new iPhone will have a bigger screen.
iPhone 6 processor
Not a huge surprise, this one: the current
processor is a dual-core A6, and the next one will
be a quad-core A7. The big sell here is more
power with better efficiency, which should help
battery life.
Expect to see it in the 2013 iPad first, and expect to
see an improved A6 processor, the A6X, in the
iPhone 5S.
iPhone 6 camera
Apple's bought camera sensors from Sony
before, and this year we're going to see a new,
13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room
without compromising image quality.
An Apple patent, uncovered by Apple Insider in
May 2013, shows a system where an iPhone can
remotely control other illuminating devices - extra
flashes. It would work in a similar manner to that
seen in professional photography studios.
Interesting stuff.
iPhone 6 eye tracking
One thing seems certain - Apple can't ignore the
massive movement towards eye-tracking tech
from other vendors, especially Samsung. It
seems a shoe-in that Apple will deliver some kind
of motion tech within the next iPhone, probably
from uMoove.
The new iPhone will have better 4G LTE
On its UK launch, just one UK network had 4G
LTE: Everything Everywhere, which currently
offers 4G on the 1800MHz band. In 2013, all the
other big names will be coming on board,
offering 4G in other frequency bands.
International iPhones already work across
different 4G bands to the UK, so you can expect
the UK iPhone 6 (and possibly the iPhone 5S) to
be more promiscuous than the iPhone 5.
By the time the iPhone 6 emerges, iOS devices
should also have "nonclassified communication
approval" status from the US FCC, which means
they won't need to go through a lengthy
approval process.
iPhone 6 Wi-Fi may be 802.11ac
Apple likes to lead Wi-Fi standards adoption - its
Airport really helped make Wi-Fi mainstream -
and there's a good chance we'll see ultra-fast
802.11ac Wi-Fi in Apple kit this year
. It's faster than Lighting, and not very
frightening.
iPhone 6 wireless charging
Wireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could
Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that
Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless
charging, but then again Apple has filed patents
for pretty much anything imaginable.
The tasty bit of this particular patent is that
Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but
multiple ones.
Meanwhile, a further Apple patent seems to imply
that future iPhones will be able to adjust volume
as you move them away from your ear.
And could the iPhone 6 really have 3D? It's
unlikely, but the rumours keep on coming