We've rounded-up all the rumours on Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 6 to see what the device might have in store.
Rumours of the iPhone 6 have been around since the iPhone 5 launched and have gone hand-in-hand with rumours of the iPhone 5S. Indeed, no one is really clear on whether the next iPhone model will stick to the ‘S’ convention Apple established with the iPhone 4S or jump straight to the iPhone 6.
Even more complications get thrown into the mix when you factor in rumours of multiple handset launches aimed at different sections of the market, but we’ll come back to that.
At present, it’s quite normal to see any rumour surrounding Apple’s next iPhone to be pegged for both the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 6, such is the uncertainty.
However, it’s also true that a few select rumours have been aimed at just the iPhone 6 specifically, particularly in cases which suggest the iPhone 6 will come on its own, later, and after a separate and distinct iPhone 5S launch.
iPhone 6 Concepts
Apple’s iPhone 6 is expected to be the ‘big update’ and launch next year while the iPhone 5S is tipped to be more of an iPhone 4S-refresh, according to reports. That’s not gospel by any means but it does tie in with Apple’s previous approach to hardware updates.
But in a world where Samsung is now the big dog is this softly-softly approach wise? Shouldn’t Apple be ramping up its efforts to quash the treat of Samsung to its smartphone business model? No and Yes, would be our answers to those questions.
At the time of writing – June 6 – all we have to go on are dubious ‘supply chain leaks’ – hello, DigiTimes – and analyst conjecture. Personally, I’d love to see Apple take the bull by the horns and diversify what it offers with its iPhone.That could be a bigger handset (4.5-inches and upwards), a selection of handsets (cheap, mid-range, and ), or something entirely new.
And it’s not just us either – the Internet is ablaze with armchair designers who have created some rather exceptional looking iPhone 6 concept designs, which you can check out by checking out the link below:
Spotted an iPhone 6 concept you like and want to share it with the world? Pop that sucker in the comments section at the bottom.
So what about that budget iPhone?
Renders of Apple’s rumoured affordable iPhone have shown up online showing a possibly plastic and colourful future. The renders were created by increasingly prominent 3D artist Martin Hajek , who’s made a number of attention-grabbing concepts in recent months.
The renders show the budget iPhone the same 4-inch size as the iPhone 5 but it appears to be a good deal thinner too. The most immediately obvious change is the bright red colour in-line with rumours that Apple will offer a variety of colour options.
iPhone 6 - Hardware
The most recent, and arguably most prominent rumour surrounding the iPhone 6 points to the idea that it’ll feature a next-gen Apple A7 processor, which may or may not, be a quad-core model. The story goes that Apple is soon to begin work on the 20 nanometre A7 chip with the help of TSMC, but that it won’t be ready for production until the first quarter of 2014.
In the meantime we’ll be treated to an iPhone 5S on an A6 chip, or possibly an A6X.
This does sit with some rumours which say the iPhone 5S will land in June or July, though equally similar rumours claim the model which arrives this summer will be the iPhone 6, which in turn would imply it’ll be the one toting the A6 or A6x chip.
Other reports say Apple has been in talks with Intel over a possible manufacturing deal. It’s not clear whether Intel would simply fabricate Apple’s ARM-based designs or if it would create a completely new Intel-based chipset for the iPhone 6.
Apple’s iPhone 6 was also name-dropped in reports about next-generation hardware carrying new 5G Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, suggesting it’ll hook up to nearby routers and remote devices at much faster speeds.
It’s expected the iPhone 6 would have the same storage options as its predecessors – 16GB, 32GB or 64GB with no microSD slot. Could we see a 128GB version, too? Maybe - although very little has been said about this aspect so far.
A camera upgrade is possible and we could see a 13-megapixel sensor, although there’s some suggestion Apple will stick to 8-megapixels and simply improve the aperture, sensor array and capture features.
Allegedly Apple has scheduled to have components for the next iPhone shipped by the end of May in order to hit the Q3 target. It will apparently have an improved processor, which could be the A6X chip found in the iPad 4. The camera will also be updated to a higher megapixel rating, presumably 13-megapixels.
The latest rumour suggests a 16-megapixel sensor though.
Apple has filed 34 new patents for the iPhone 6, including some related to the camera tech to get the very best inside the iPhone 6, including enhanced colour correction.
Some rumours indicate the iPhone 6 will feature a fingerprint scanner chip and NFC capability, allowing a secure lock mode and secure NFC payment. Wireless charging has also been suggested.
A new video has leaked showing the iPhone 6 with a curved display and 3D camera. The concept video has set tongues wagging - eill Apple's newest flagship boast these features?
Update - 17/04/2013
Recent reports suggest that next iPhone will boast an updated, 12-megapixel camera sensor and overhauled low-light image capture technology. The rumours, which come from an unnamed source within the company responsible for producing the iPhone's camera module, Wonderful Saigon Electronics, don't clarify whether the next device will be an incremental update, or the planned iPhone 6, but it's looking fairly safe to suggest that the next iPhone, and subsequent models, will go beyond the 8-megapixel barrier.
What we may see is an iPhone 5S launching this year with a 12-megapixel sensor on-board, followed by the iPhone 6 later this year, or early next, with an improved version of the same sensor plus new and improved features, much as we did with the iPhone 4S and its successor the iPhone 5.
Very little has been said about the iPhone 6's display other than the varying and broader design rumours concerning the device's size. It could be anywhere from 4-inches to 4.8-inches and there might be a smaller 3.5-inch version if there's a budget model.
iPhone 6 - Design
While there are still plenty of rumours saying Apple will stick to its conventional model of one handset at a time, but murmurings persist about the next iPhone launching in a number of variants for different sections of the market and at different price points.
There’s some suggestion Apple may launch a budget model, which may or may not be smaller than the iPhone 5 and might even be made of plastic.
Other rumours claim that the iPhone 6 will be larger than the current iPhone 5 - anywhere between 4.2 and 4.6-inches - while further speculation points to Apple making a regular-sized iPhone 6 and a larger 4.8-inch iPhone 6 ‘XL’.
Conflicting leaks and rumours imply both that the iPhone 6 could share a very similar design language to the iPhone 5 and, conversely, that Apple will undergo something of a re-invention with the new model due to waning interest in the brand.
IT'S ALL SO CONFUSING.
Multiple reports claim Apple's next iPhone will boast a range of colour options as well as the conventional white and black.
Meanwhile, a persistent rumour says the physical home button might be replaced with a capacitive 'bar', which can be pressed for Home or swiped with various gestures to perform other actions.
Aside from the exterior, it’s widely reported that Apple’s design guru Jony Ive has been assigned to oversee the development of the iOS interface, suggesting we’ll see a bold new look for Apple’s software and digital storefronts. Such a facelift is long overdue.
Further to this, Apple CEO Tim Cook is reported to have entered talks with the chief executive of Beats Audio. Rumour has it the pair discussed a possible collaboration on an Apple music streaming service in the vein of Spotify or Xbox Music.
An Apple job posting has referenced the manufacturer's need for someone to ‘lead the investigation on emerging display technologies such as high optical efficiency LCD. It would suggest that the iPhone 6 will feature a flexible display.
The position requires someone who can ‘analyze the trade-offs between design, process, optical performance, and implementation feasibility.’
Apple isn't the first company to investigate into flexible displays. Samsung has already researched a lot into getting flexible displays onto smartphones with a concept appearing at CES back in January.
Photo concepts of the iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S have also shown off the possibility of a curved display. Although they're pretty off-the-wall, they're also pretty cool.
This video has popped up online, showing off a thinner profile than the current iPhone 5 and a much larger display, which looks like it could be 4.7-inches, or thereabouts.
The back panel seems to still be aluminium and it retains a two-tone colouration, but it’s slightly different now with a glossy panel at the bottom and a matte finish for the top three quarters. The current iPhone has these contrasting panels at both top and bottom and a matte section in the middle.
The display doesn’t appear to be quite edge -to-edge, but the bezel is extremely narrow along the two longer edges. The punched speaker grill is still present and the Lightning connector on the bottom, however, the physical Home key has disappeared completely, suggesting some kind of gesture control.
One crazy new iPhone 6 render shows a plastic iPhone 6. It's available in black and white and features stereo speakers at the bottom of the device.
iPhone 6 - iOS 7 & Jony Ive's Vision
Up to now, little was known about Ive’s plan for iOS. But today the Wall Street Journal can shed some light on the issue. According to the report, Ive’s take on iOS is believed to be a ‘starker and simpler’ affair that will mimic Apple’s minimalist design ethos.
Ive comes from a physical design background, so it’ll be interesting to see how his ideas translate in the world of software and UX design. Expected to launch as iOS7, the redesigned UX will feature ‘clean edges and flat surfaces.’ The knighted designer is also said to be keen on gutting iOS of its trademark textured backgrounds.
The report made no mention of new features or software inside the platform , but that shouldn't be cause for alarm just yet. Ive is an industrial designer by trade so the emphasis here was always going to be on looks, not functionality – the latter will be undertaken to Apple's software engineers.
A concept video of iOS 7 has had us a little excited.
The YouTube post shows what Apple's next generation display should feature, including a highly innovative interface. His top features include:
- Lock screen controls including quick accessibility to many features
- Quick Reply to send a message without unlocking the handset
- Widgets
- Mission Control allowing you to multitask in a more immersive way
iPhone 6 - Display
For the main, premium model rumours point to a possible 'touch-on' display which would result in smoother touch control and there's some suggestion we may see touch controls activated from the bezel.
iPhone 6 - Release date
Multiple reports say the iPhone 6 won’t appear until 2014 where it would be expected to arrive around the middle of the year. Just as many conflicting rumours point to a 2013 arrival, however, around June or July in-line with previous launches, and possibly accompanied by other models such as the iPhone 5S, a budget variant, a large form-factor variant or all of the above.
Update - 21/03/2013: According to a report out of China, the next premium iPhone from Apple, which may be called the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, will be launched within the third quarter of 2013 and ‘may just be a slightly enhanced version’ of the iPhone 5.
The news comes courtesy of Digitimes and its anonymous ‘sources from the upstream supply chain’ which also add to the rumours of a budget plastic-built iPhone to release this year alongside the main model.
One analyst and ex-employee of Apple thinks Apple should scrap the idea of the iPhone 5S altogether and go straight for the iPhone 6. Hi reasoning seems pretty straightforward: adding an S on the end of a name makes the device name sound outdated and we agree. Bring on the iPhone 6!
Update - 17/04/2013
Peter Misek, an analyst for Jeffries and Co. has claimed that the iPhone 6 is now likely to be delayed owing to unforseen issues in the production process.Speaking to Street Insider , Misek, who recently visited Apple's production partners in China, said "We continue to believe there is almost no chance the iPhone 6 launches in CY13 [calendar year 2013] due to supply chain issues." The most likely time-frame for the device is currently estimated to be the first quarter of 2014.
Apple is having problems with the mass pre-production of the iPhone 5S, which will push back other launches. iOS 7 is also said to be delayed, pushing back the launch even further, and Misek says the iPhone 5S probably won't launch until later in 2013.
iPhone 6 - Price
Pricing rumours are very much tied to the varying ideas of premium and budget model iPhones.
It’s generally agreed that a direct iPhone 6 successor model would be pric ed the same as the current iPhone 5 – Apple’s consistent pricing scheme which has transferred from one model to the next. This would place a 16GB model at £529, going all the way up to £699 for the 64GB version. However, if we buy into the idea that there will also be a budget model, then we could be looking at a very low price tag – as little as £200 according to some sources.
Likewise, a super-sized ‘XL’ model, if it still sports a premium spec and build, could potentially be more expensive than the standard model.
iPhone 6 – Know Your Mobile's iPhone 6 Wishlist
KYM Deputy Editor, Richard Goodwin, details what he'd like from the next iPhone:
- 4.7-inch display 1080p Retina Display, although 4.3-inch would suffice.
- A new UX for iOS: live widgets, a new-look and feel, more customisation options. Apple’s Senior VP of Industrial Design Jony Ive has been tasked with giving iOS a facelift and I’m more than excited about seeing what he comes up with.
- More keyboard options – Let me download other keyboards, ones like Swype. Trust developers to create better experiences. They’re more than capable, as any Android user will tell you.
- Bigger battery – make the display bigger, preferably using an edge -to-edge setup, and it creates room for a bigger battery cell that ensures the phone lasts for longer. It’s a simple point but one many manufacturers, bar Motorola, have yet to really address.
That’s it for me, really. Nothing too drastic, just a few design changes, a modified UX, and a bigger battery and I’d be happily jump ship back to iOS.
Got any theories on the iPhone 5S/iPhone 6 or what you'd like to see inside them? Share them in the comments below.
Insane iPhone 6 concept
An iPhone that transforms into a Mac PC. Now. That. Is. Cool. Just don't go getting your hopes up about this one, the video screams fake, but we give credit where credit is due and this has to be one of the coolest iPhone 6 concepts we've seen to date.
Enjoy!
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek penned a note to investors which claimed Apple is ‘currently testing two new iPhone prototypes,’ one of which was named as the ‘iPhone 5S’ and the other is suggested as the rumoured cheaper iPhone handset.
Update - 26/04/2013
Things have gone decidedly quiet on the iPhone 6 front, as Apple prepares for the launch of the iPhone 5S and, if analysts Citigroup can be believed, a budget device too, but rumours suggest the iPhone 6 will indeed feature a highly improved camera, and the device’s primary optics will apparently benefit from advanced colour correction as part of the upgrade. Which means images captured with the upcoming device will match their real-life counterparts perfectly, rather than having unrealistic colours subbed-in as a ‘close enough’ match.
Other news suggests that the device won’t come with an increased screen-size as originally thought, after company CEO Tim Cook discussed the merits of larger screens during his earnings call. Speaking to the gathered masses, Mr Cook said:
"My view continues to be that the iPhone 5 has the absolute best display in the industry, and we always strive to create the very best display for our customers," Cook said. "Some customers value large screen size, others value other factors such as resolution, colour quality, white balance, brightness, reflectivity, screen longevity, power consumption, portability, compatibility with apps and many things."
So there you have it. Maybe an iPhone 6 with a big-screen isn’t on the menu after all.
Update - 02/05/2013
Despite rumours to the contrary, it now appears more likely that we will see a larger screened iPhone 6 when the device finally comes to market – which is expected to be sometime in June 2014.
The idea of a larger screened iPhone 6 was reconsidered after a recent earnings call with Apple CEO Tim Cook, during which he commented that Apple wouldn’t be making ‘trade-offs’ over the next iPhone’s screen size, but it has since been suggested that Mr Cook’s cautious choice of words may have been referring to the upcoming iPhone 5S, as opposed to the next major step-forward for the range – the iPhone 6.
Jefferies and Co. analyst Peter Misek suggests that Apple has already found a way to introduce a new and improved screen size in the iPhone 6, without being affected by the trade-offs to which Tim Cook was referring, such as app quality and overall user experience.
The conclusion is that Apple is already hard at work to deliver a large screened iPhone 6, capable of rivalling Samsung’s wildly successful Galaxy Note range, by next summer, and according to certain sources the company already has the plans for the device prepped and ready to be sent off to manufacturers.
Exciting times.
Update - 09/05/2013
Up until recently, the iPhone 5S was expected to be the next big release from Apple, but consumers may be surprised to learn that we may be seeing the iPhone 6 sooner than we thought. An online leak from a Vodafone employee showing a photo of its inventory, details an entry for an iPhone 6, and furthermore it shows that the device will have 4G capabilities. With Vodafone having recently been bolstered by a £790 million spend to ensure its slice of the UK 4G network , the iPhone 6 could be an amazing launch partner for the telecommunications giant when it goes live in the next few months.
Another persistent rumour is that the iPhone 6 will definitely enjoy NFC capabilities, allowing users to exchange information with a bump, pay for items and all of the other things that Android devices have been doing for yonks. The rumour has gained further credibility lately though, with analyst Peter Misek putting his weight behind it and hinting that the device could see improved battery life to bolster any NFC capabilities that it may have. Considering iOS devices have been blighted by battery drain problems, which don’t seem to be improved by any recent updates, we can only hope that the iPhone 6 has both an improved cell and a considerable update to the power-management area of its software or this could prove to be an even bigger problem as Apple pack even more capabilities into its devices.
Update - 16/05/2013
We’re getting closer and closer to i-Day and the gossip on the next iPhone just keeps rolling in. Rumours have suggested that the device would rock a fingerprint sensor from quite early on, but nothing concrete has emerged…until now.
Paypal exec Michael Barrett recently spoke to a gathered crowd at Interop in Las Vegas, and stated that “There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone on the market later this year,” in what appears to be quite a large doff of the cap to Apple’s upcoming hardware.
Barrett hasn’t been shy with his comments in the past either. He was recently reported as saying “It’s widely rumored that a large technology provider in Cupertino, Calif., will come out with a phone later this year that has a fingerprint reader on it,” by BGR , in what appears to be another nod to Apple’s alleged involvement with new security tech.
Another rumour which has been gathering pace, and substance, is the one involving new controls for upcoming iPhone hardware. Recent patents which Apple has secured suggest that the manufacturer’s new device(s) will allow for advanced gesture controls which, when you wade through the patent-related red tape suggests in broad strokes a system which would allow the user to control their device through touches, taps, scratches and other singular gestures, which would be interpreted by an advanced acoustic sensors inside the hardware.
So you may be looking at an iPhone 6 which will allow you to crank up the volume on your favourite track with a mere tickle. Exciting times.
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