Apple’s next-generation smartphone may be known as the iPhone 5S, signifying an incremental update over this past September’s iPhone 5. Or it could also be known as the iPhone 6, a much more advanced device than its predecessor in more than a few ways.
Rounding up all the hot specifications-related rumors ahead of the new year, the iPhone 6 will most probably be an improved device in terms of display resolution, camera quality and processor speed. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek had opined earlier in the year that the next-gen phone may have a full-HD display (similar to the 1080p display on the HTC Droid DNA, but most likely with a 4-inch screen or thereabouts) and an improved rear camera sensor. Misek had also hypothesized that the next iPhone may be out in March – this may suggest an incremental update which would be the iPhone 5S, but hopes still remain high for a complete overhaul once the next iPhone is out. The new processor, which could be called A7, may be a quad-core, allowing Apple to keep up with the times.
Those were just some of the hottest rumors and speculation on the iPhone 6’s basic specs. But Apple’s patent applications and third-party concept renderings provide even more insight, and an exciting look into what could be the future of the iPhone. Wireless integration to Mac OS X devices is one of the possibilities based on aforementioned third-party renders, while the patent scene suggests that Apple will be working on a “curved display” for the iPhone 6 which involves a glass-molding technique called “slumping.”
On a “lighter” note, the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 could be the first to be offered in different flavors, and not just the standard black and white options. Like it or not, smartphone buyers can be quite sensitive about color, and one reason people believe the iPhone 5 hasn’t sold as many units as it should have has been the lack of variety when it comes to color. Rumors suggest that red and yellow may be among the new colors offered for the next-generation iPhone.