Jul 6: Apple"s iPhone 6 is rumored to be hitting the market sometime toward the fourth quarter of this year. With its upcoming iPhone model, Apple will once again try to beat its customers" expectations and at the same time add new customers by bringing a larger iPhone to market.
While Apple has chosen not to disclose anything about the iPhone 6, there are a lot of rumors and reports surrounding the product, detailing the supposed release date, specs, price, etc. Some of the latest ones are discussed below.
iPhone 6 release date: When in September?
September appears to be the most likely month for the launch of the iPhone 6. Previously, Deutsche Telekom, a German phone company, and a report from Tencent both predicted a Sept. 19 release date.
The new iPhone 6 will surely have a larger screen size than the previous models, and the name iPhone Air will supposedly be the name given to the bigger version, as a source informed China.com. Some expect that the company will first release the 4.7-inch variant of the iPhone 6, while the bigger 5.5-inch model will be available after a month later. However, another report from China.com predicted Sept. 25 as the release date for both new devices. China.com has predicted that 10 days before the release, Apple will unveil the devices and will get a rough estimate of the quantities that will be demanded.
Unique features expected in iPhone 6
Apple"s iPhone 6 is expected to feature a larger battery cell. According to Chinese source MyDrivers.com, the battery of the device will be between 1,700mAh and 2,000mAh. A 1,700mAh battery is most likely, as the iPhone 5S had a 1,570mAh battery, while the iPhone 5 was powered with a 1,440mAh battery.
One of the latest patents from Apple indicates that the company might be working on Lytro-like capabilities for the iPhone 6?s camera. Lytro technology allow the user to dynamically select (and re-select) a focal point at a later date. Earlier, Apple hinted that it would focus more on performance instead of adding megapixel count. According to Techradar, the patent “even makes reference to the Lytro camera as prior art but adds that certain adjustments can be made in the quality of picture.”
It is indicated by certain Chinese sources (via Apple Insider) that the rumored storage of 128 GB will be available only with the larger model of the iPhone 6, while the smaller will have a storage capacity of 64 GB. The company could also offer the iPhone with a smallest storage capacity of 32 GB and get rid of 16 GB devices altogether, as per a statement from Feng, a Chinese blog.
A KDB Daewoo Securities analyst who has been known for making accurate predictions on the features of upcoming Apple devices once again made predictions with regards to the specs of the iPhone 6. The analyst states that this year"s new devices from Apple will be powered with the next generation A8 processor, which has a 64-bit architecture. The devices could also come with 1 GB of RAM and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The device is expected to come with a strong battery to support larger screens.
Cost less than iPhone 5S?
Apple is expected to offer a 4.7-inch version with a price tag of $850 for the 32 GB model and $1,000 for the 64 GB model. Also there have been talks that the iPhone 6 could cost less in international markets than the iPhone 5s did at launch. A report from GSM Arena said, “The 32GB version is slated to cost CNY 5,300 ($850 / €625), while the 64GB version will be CNY 6,300 ($1010 / €740). That"s actually a drop in price as a 16GB iPhone 5s currently costs CNY 5,300 in China, while the 64GB model is CNY 6,900, so if the rumors pan out we can expect international prices to drop.”
Combination of iOS 8 and iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 will surely be based on the new OS. Apple unveiled iOS 8 at the Worldwide Developers" Conference (WWDC) on June 2. The company announced that it will publicly launch iOS 8 in the fall of 2014, although as usual, developers gained access to the beta version of the operating system that same day.
There are many new features to be made available with iOS 8, of which a few are mentioned below. The HealthKit API is the biggest addition. The app will be able to gather data from tracking apps and various third-party accessories. To make the API even better, the iPhone maker partnered with many brands like Nike and the Mayo Clinic.
Siri will also be updated in iOS8. Now there will be no need to press the home button, as the voice feature can be activated through the voice command “Hey, Siri,” which will be useful while driving. In addition, Siri will support SHAZAM, which will help in tracking music played nearby without a third party app. Also Siri will support 22 international languages. Another big update in iOS8 will be for the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which is a big leap by Apple toward privacy protection.
Big screen ensure big success?
Compared to previous years, the news that Apple could come up with a large screen in the iPhone 6 has spiked interest levels from consumers. A study called “Change Wave” conducted by market analyst firm 451 Research found that 14% of the respondents are “very likely” to buy the upcoming iPhone 6, while 26% were “somewhat likely” to buy a new phone. The study took into consideration 4,000 respondents located largely in North America. In March, only 9% of the respondents were “very likely” in favor of the iPhone 5S. Another survey from the same firm found that 47% of the respondents would go for a 5-inch (or bigger) smartphone.
If the research results are anything to go by, Apple could surely expect some heavy demand for the bigger screen phone, which would help the iPhone maker narrow the gap with smartphone leader Samsung.
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