iPhone 6 RUMORS: Apple Rumored to be Looking at New ‘Touch-On Display’

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Among the less believable Apple rumors that have emerged from the Far East in recent weeks is a report suggesting Apple is preparing to launch a “phablet” this summer to compete with large-screened Android smartphones. China Times issued the claims on Monday, suggesting that a third new iPhone handset will launch in 2013 aside from the “iPhone 5S” and Apple’s new cheaper iPhone. The publication called this upcoming device the “iPhone Math,” and said it may launch in June with a 4.8-inch display. China Times added that the iPhone 5S will debut ahead of the holidays with a 12-megapixel camera, while the new less-expensive iPhone model and the new iPhone phablet will launch this summer.

1-21-13

bgr.com

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Apple's iPhone 5 is still relatively new to store shelves, but a French tech blog claims to have acquired photos of components destined not only the rumored iPhone 5S but the so-called iPhone 6 as well, with one of the models speculated to launch in a matter of months.

NoWhereElse.fr on Friday published the images of what it claims are loud speaker modules for the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 6. The images, the site claims, come from a source connected to an Apple supplier that makes the components.

The site contends that Apple will deviate from its normal schedule of releasing one iPhone per year and instead roll out as many as three iPhones in 2013. The iPhone 5S will allegedly serve as an incremental improvement on the iPhone 5, while the iPhone 6 will be a more substantial redesign, though no details were reported as to the possible differences between the two.

A third iPhone model would supposedly be the rumored iPhone Math (or iPhone +, depending on the interpretation), a larger-screened iPhone meant to give Apple a stake in the nascent but growing "phablet" sector.

The additions to the iPhone line would also come with alterations to Apple's release schedule, according to the report. One of the rumored models would launch between March and July of this year, while a second would be released toward the end of the year.

The pictured components, while out of focus, do bear some resemblance to the loud speaker unit from the iPhone 5, which the author of the report superimposed onto one photo for comparison. Based solely on the images, it's difficult to say with any certainty how likely they are to turn up inside a future Apple device.

Should the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 materialize as described in the report, it certainly wouldn't be the first time components have leaked prior to the release of an Apple device. As recently as this past October, weeks before the launch of the iPad mini, images of the device's front and back panels appeared on the Internet, with photos of the device's Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth antennas following early on the day of its announcement.

This past month has seen a flurry of rumors about the paths Apple might take with the next generation of its industry-leading smartphones, even though the most recent version debuted only a few months ago and continues to see sales that outstrip supply.

Driven possibly in response to analyst concerns that Apple must make a cheaper iPhone to compete in emerging markets, some reports have the Cupertino company working on a model with polycarbonate backing.

Asked directly about this possibility during the company's quarterly conference call this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook parried the question, saying he would not go into Apple's pricing strategy but that the company "[feels] great about the opportunity of getting products to customers."

1-26-13

appleinsider.com

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A new report has appeared today which claims to have some intelligence on the design of a less-expensive iPhone that Apple has been working on. According to the report from iLounge, the new device will predominantly be constructed from a plastic housing, but will be in possession of a 4 inch screen like the current model iPhone 5. In addition to these details, the report also suggests that the new device will surprisingly have design inferences that are based upon the iPod Classic.

The dimensions of the new device are predicted to be around half a millimeter larger in both height and width, and will increase in depth by around 1mm. The iPod Classic design notes are apparently related to the curves that Apple will incorporate into the new iPhone, which will only be visible from the side. According to the report, the device will look identical to an iPhone 5 from the front, but much like an iPod Classic from the side. This is surprising considering the more curved design of the iPhone 3G and 3GS, but increases the internal volume of the new iPhone for components.

The new device will, as expected have a camera on the rear, an earphone port on the bottom and will also have a Lightning connector, consistent with current iOS device design. No details are offered on release date or pricing, but the 1136 x 640 display that is identical to the iPhone 5 will likely be welcome feature for those looking to purchase the device upon release.

1-28-13

Source

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Maybe this year? Could be.

According to a source that posted on a Chinese microblogging site, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 have been spotted at Apple suppliers in China. Both models could release in 2013, said the source, named Old Yao on the site.

The source also notes that the iPhone 5S looks a lot like the iPhone 5, while the five-inch iPhone 6 is even lighter and thinner than that.

It’s good to take all rumors with a big grain of salt or two, of course, but this one is both exciting and plausible, even without any photos.

2-7-13

Source

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News that Samsung’s Galaxy S4 smarthphone (expected to launch this month) may support 802.11ac, also known as ’5G Wi-Fi’, has lead to speculation that Apple’s next iPhone could support standard as well.

Evercore Partners analyst Patrick Wang has said that new connectivity chips from Broadcom (BRCM) are expected to be used in the Samsung’s Galaxy S4, and that Apple is also believed to be in talks with Broadcom about new chips for its iPhone 6, as well as the rumoured low-cost iPhone.

Broadcom unveiled its 5G Wi-Fi chips last year, which use a standard known as IEEE 802.11ac. The company boasts that “5G WiFi is the next generation Wi-Fi standard required for today’s mobile and video era and is three times faster and six times more power efficient than previous generation 802.11an devices.”

This week, Wang wrote: “We conducted a series of check that indicate BRCM’s combo chip (likely 4335, with 5G Wi-Fi, BT, FM) remains designed into Samsung’s forthcoming Galaxy S4.”

Given BRCM’s current technology lead and software stickiness, it makes sense that Samsung would seek a best in class solution.”

iPhone 6 Wi-Fi

The analyst said that he believes Apple may only use Broadcom’s 43342 combo chip, which works on 802.11a/b/g/n,BT,FM networks in its iPhone 6, alternatively dubbed iPhone 5S, with a ramp starting mid-2013.

A low-cost iPhone that also uses Broadcom chips could be launched in quarter three of this year, said Wang.

It seems unlikely that Apple wouldn’t role out 5G WiFi, sometimes called Gig-Wi-Fi in the next generation iPhone. We think that it’s highly likely that Apple will opt to include a 5G Wi-Fi capable chip in its next iPhone if its biggest rival Samsung is planning to do so.

However, to save costs for the rumoured cheaper iPhone, it’s possible that Apple will choose to stick to a fourth-generation WiFi chip for that device.

It’s worth noting that the chips, while referred to as 5G WiFi, do not correlate with 3G and 4G cellphone networks. This 802.11ac standard is the successor to 802.11n.

In January, we reported that Apple’s new Macs, Apple TV, Time Capsule and Airport devices could soon support 802.11ac networking.

The 802.11ac standard is still in draft, with its final approval by the IEEE not likely to come until later in 2013. That doesn’t mean that Apple will wait until the standard is approved, however. Apple has shipped products using draft versions of wireless standards in the past.

The draft status also hasn’t stopped other companies from using it. In June 2012 an Asus laptop became the first to incorporate the standard, although 802.11ac is yet to make its way into mainstream notebooks.

Broadcom is one of only a small number of chipmakers currently providing these 802.11ac chipsets.

Apple’s next-generation iPhone is also rumoured to have a fingerprint sensor, multiple colour options, 128GB of storage, an improved display, NFC and an updated processor.

2-7-13

www.macworld.com

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Mockup of iPhone with 4.94-inch screen

A new report out of the Far East claims Apple will release both an upgraded "iPhone 5S" as well as a new "iPhone 6" with a larger 5-inch screen this year.

The details come from investment news service BrightWire, which cited a report out of Chinese mobile phone information site Laoyaoba.com. That source reportedly spotted two new iPhone models at Apple's suppliers.

The report said that Apple "may" release both models in 2013. The iPhone 5S reportedly has a design similar to the current iPhone 5, while the 5-inch iPhone is said to be lighter and thinner.

As larger iPhones like Samsung's Galaxy Note series have gained traction in the marketplace, there has been increasing speculation that Apple could go even bigger with a future iPhone model. The company increased the screen size of its flagship handset from 3.5 inches to 4 inches with the launch of the iPhone 5 last September.

Some have speculated that Apple could launch an iPhone with a bigger 5-inch display by keeping the same 640-by-1,136-pixel resolution as the current iPhone 5 screen. Stretching those pixels out to a 5-inch display would give a lower pixel density of 264-per-inch, but it would allow developers to continue to create applications for one screen resolution.

Analysts have also called on Apple to launch a big-screen iPhone, sometimes referred to as an "iPhone Plus." They believe Apple is "leaving money on the tablet" by not competing with larger devices like the Galaxy Note.

2-8-13

appleinsider.com

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Is this the iPhone 5S? Leaked images purported to come out of Foxconn are claimed to show Apple’s next iPhone, and it looks pretty much identical to the iPhone 5, although some have noted that there’s at least one small change: the iPhone 5S uses the iPhone 4S’s softer vibration component instead of the louder rotating one used in the iPhone 5.
iPhoneinCanada.ca speculates that these images are coming from the same factory that manufactures the shameless Android knock-off of the iPhone 5 called the Goophone, so there is a strong chance of forgery.

Update: And… in fact, as Steve from Nowherelese.fr points out on Twitter, it’s almost definite that this is an image of a Goophone-like knock-off and not the iPhone 5S.

Reports have suggested that the iPhone 5S would start production in December to get a better handle on the supply constraints that plague everyiPhone launch. If true, it’s not too early to start seeing iPhone 5S leaks… this one just doesn’t appear to be a real one.

2-11-13

Source

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Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek packed a ton of Apple information in his latest research note, including updates on Apple’s long-rumored television set and its more recently rumored “iPhablet.” On tidbit that we shouldn’t overlook, however, is that Misek’s supply chain sources say that they’re slowing down iPhone 5 production to prepare for production of the next-generation iPhone 5S starting in March. Per Barron’s, Misek says that Apple is aiming to launch the newest version of the iPhone in June, likely during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Although there is a chance that the 5S could be delayed until July, Misek thinks this is unlikely because components-wise there are “few changes for the iPhone 5S vs. the iPhone 5.”

2-13-13

bgr.com

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Said to differ little from iPhone 5 board

A leaked photo shows an alleged motherboard for an "iPhone 5S," according to iOSDoc. The board is said to be roughly similar to the one for the iPhone 5, which may support views that the device will be just a modest upgrade, for instance keeping roughly the same dimensions as its predecessor. The photo does show an A7 processor, however, which the source claims is a quad-core 1.2GHz chip, paired with PowerVR's quad-core SGX554MP4 graphics.

The 5S is also reportedly upgrading from 1GB of LPDDR2-1066 RAM to 2GB of dual-channel LPDDR-800 memory. The source says that as expected, the phone will come loaded with iOS 7, but adds that that one feature is supposed to be a major upgrade of Siri, capable of "a lot of new cool stuff."

If the information is accurate, it would represent some of the first semi-detailed information about both iOS 7 and the next flagship iPhone. Apple has been rumored as working on as many as three new iPhones: the 5S, a low-cost model, and even an iPhone 6. Some rumors have had all three shipping in 2013, but the most common expectation is that the 6, at least, won't arrive until 2014.

2-18-13

Source

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Apple reportedly plans to build a more affordable iPhone model this August alongside launch a new world mode "iPhone 5S" featuring compatibility with China Mobile, the largest carrier in the world.

The details were reported on Friday by Chinese tech news site EMSOne (translation), which cited analysts from Barclays Capital. It claimed that a "cheap edition" of the iPhone will be built this year by both Foxconn, Apple's usual manufacturing partner, as well as Pegatron.

The report suggests that Foxconn will also be the exclusive manufacturer of Apple's next-generation "iPhone 5S." It was not indicated that Pegatron had received any orders for the company's next flagship handset.

Unlike the current iPhone 5, which requires different models for separate carriers with unique LTE frequencies, the so-called "iPhone 5S" is expected to be a world phone that will add compatibility with new carriers, including China Mobile.

That ability could be aided by Qualcomm's latest LTE chipset, which operates on 40 bands, including all existing LTE networks. China Mobile, which has nearly 700 million total subscribers, utilizes an obscure TD-SCDMA network that is incompatible with the current iPhone 5.

As for the cheaper iPhone, Friday's report claimed it will not be a world phone, and will only support the frequency division duplex (FDD) flavor of LTE. China Mobile's network uses time division duplexing (TDD) for its LTE network.

The report comes on the heels of a separate one out of Japan issued on Thursday, which claimed that Apple is planning to cut costs by building its next iPhone out of polycarbonate, similar to the company's retired white MacBook. It was said that Apple plans to charge around $330 without a service contract for its entry-level iPhone.

3-1-13

appleinsider.com