Apple, iPhone, iTunes, all house-hold names that have been abuzz in the air over the past few weeks as rumors leak outwards as to what Apple plans to do with their newest additions to the family. What are they building, and what features will they have? Is Tim Cook abandoning Steve Job’s claim that “Apple will never make a 7in tablet” that he made in an earnings call just a few years back? Lets wrap these rumors up, lay down what we know, and what we expect when Apple makes its announcement on September 12.
The Screen -
The New iPhone will be bigger. Sharps President Takashi Okuda said that his company will begin shipping the new 4 inch screen in August. It will be thinner, but not by much. This will be accomplished by using Sharp’s new IGZO display that allows more light to pass through smaller transistors. This means less LEDs. Ergo, less space.
The IOS -
It will be 6, just as we expected. We know a lot more now about IOS 6 now than when it first came out. One of the largest controversies that was aroused was about the new map app, and lack of “walking” directions. The best argument I heard for this aspect of GPS navigation that would be left out of our new IOS was that Silicon Valley developers hardly ever walk to work. Needless to say after Dev’s played with IOS and noted this problem, it was quickly hot fixed. Via a silent update, mind you. Recently it was also found that the resolution in IOS 6 has been changed around a bit, to better suit the aforementioned 4in screen.
The Port -
For a while it was common to hear that the newest addition to the iPhone line would have a 19 pin charging/data port, but Thursday iLounge posted that the new connector would be as small as 8. This is highly unlikely as each pin has a different function and 8 pins would limit the functionality of the device. It will most likely be the 19 pin port. There will likely be a sleek adapter that is sent with the new iPhone to help it adapt to all your devices that you’ve acquired over the years.
The Network -
Upgrading to 4g is the powerhouse driving all these changes. There will more then likely be a 4g antenna in the new iPhone and Apple didn’t want to sacrifice any of the potential battery life of the phone. All these parts are smaller, and a 4g antenna takes up more space. Now well have room to add the extra battery so our call times don't dip below that dreaded 8 hour mark.
The Name -
"The New iPhone" will likely be the termed coined after a press release, but it may not be the name dubbed by Apple themselves. In an interview in January with a Gizmodo Editor, Tim Cook said that he "no longer wants a sequential naming system for the iPhone and iPad lines," and for "it to fall into a naming pattern similar to that of the Macbook Air, or Pro." What does this mean? Well your iPhone 5 will probably just be announced as "The iPhone" and refereed to as iPhone 2012 when looking back in future years discussing Apple's lineup. But to be honest, this naming issue only arises to people like you or I who talk about the Apple line. A normal consumer will often enter an Apple store and merely request a product. They will then be shown the newest, up-to-date version of whatever product their looking at and go from there. Not often will you hear people saying "iPhone 3gs, iPhone 4," or "iPad 1" in a Brick-and-mortar store. These terms stay mostly in the online markets and with reviewers.
The iPad Mini -
This has been a rumor for quite a while, and as far as I'm concerned, the iPad Mini will be announced. A 7-7.95in tablet that will range from $250-300, with access to all your favorite apps and everything you love so much about Apple products. I think the real controversy with this item is what exactly Apple is intending with this new product, and will it really be an “Ipad” mini. First, Apple never chases the market. They innovate, and create. Making a 7in tablet will be a "direct" chase of the Kindle Fire and The Nexus 7, and that is against everything Jobs made Apple into. However you have to take into account that this is a New Apple, run by Tim Cook, and he might have a different view. Its more then likely that the iPad Mini will actually be a large iPod Touch, which leads me to my second point. Scaling apps that are available on the iPod Touch up to 7in would be a lot easier then having to scale iPad apps down, and could actually be done without contacting each app’s developer. This would save a lot of headache, but again I digress, Apple does what it want’s and wont let troubling app developers stop them.
Either way make sure to check out an Apple Live Blog on September 12th, or check out the keynotes so you can order your “The New iPhone” as soon as it comes out, or your “The New Ipad Mini.” If you're looking for a few extra bucks to help pay for a sleek new toy, look up to the search bar and type in your old gadget! Let BuyMyTronics help foot the bill!