Here’s the latest roundup on Apple’s iPhone 6: Speculating on the next version of Apple products is always an exciting game. We love to do it as well, and some recent patents granted to Apple hint to what may be on the horizon for the iPhone 6.
iPhone 6 release dates
Most analysts expect Apple to release a budget version of the iPhone 5 this spring. That means the iPhone 6 will come out later this year – probably in the fall. But some intriguing information is floating out there that says Apple may flip flopping the releases, with the iPhone 6 coming as early as June 2014. While we would welcome this happening, we find it hard to believe Apple would be ready with the new iPhone so early.
Size
Some options that Apple has kicked around are new sizes for the iPhone, including a 4.8-inch iPhone 6 prototype. This would match the highly successful Galaxy S3, and make sense if Apple would want to tap into this market segment.
Super HD Camera
Rumors indicate that the iPhone 6 will be capable of taking Super HD pictures. To take photos at that resolution, the phone will need to have at least a 13 mega-pixel camera.
Instant Messaging
Apple recently received a patent for “a portable electronic device with a touch screen display [which] displays a list of instant messaging conversations including a group conversation.” This would be very much like BlackBerry’s BBM service.
Fingerprint Sensor
Security has been on everyone’s brains of late, and a fingerprint sensor makes a lot of sense. Apple bought AuthenTec in 2012, a company known for their fingerprint scanning technology.
Wireless Charging
Word is that Apple has been playing with wireless charging for the iPhone. Lose your battery charger? Please! We can only hope.
Eye Protection
Apple has been awarded a patent for a technology that will avoid the sudden visual impairment brought by bright screen displays in a very dark environment. This is called Luminescence Shock. The new feature will limit the brightness of the iPhone when activated in dark environment.
Ultra-Sensitive Touchscreen Display
Rumors have been growing of a new high-tech screen display that allows users to write even with the use of regular pencil or pen. According to reports, Sharp Corp has developed the new display technology that brings up to 8 times higher sensitivity to a touch panel.
Sharp IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) screen
The iPhone 6 will likely use the new Sharp IGZO screen, which means it will be thinner and use less power. Sharp demonstrated the IGZO technology earlier this year.
Storage
Look for an increase in storage to 128GB, up from 64GB. Expect options of 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB.
NFC
NFC is a form of wireless data transfer over short (up to 4-inch) distances, which could be used to make purchases with a mobile device. NFC has started to appear on Android phones. This is a key feature for all smartphones in the coming years. The only reason it won’t appear on the iPhone 6 is if Apple hasn’t perfected the system.
iOS 7
Expect the iPhone 6 to run on iOS 7.
Curved Glass
A recent Apple patent (see below, courtesy Apple Insider) describes a double-curved smartphone with a screen that wraps fully around the device, and enables seamless display of imagery on the entire phone’s face. This is probably a bit much for 2013 – so we aren’t holding our breaths for it appearing on the iPhone 6.
Remember, with all the iPhone rumors, you’ll likely find Apple hold back some great features for later releases. So don’t expect every gadget or gizmo or feature to show up on the next version of the iPhone. It just isn’t the Apple way of doing things.