A new iPhone is on the horizon. As surely as the sun's setting in the west, and its subsequent rise from the east. A handful of new features, be those hardware or software, or both, are about as likely, too.
Today, we wanted to revisit what we've come to consider likely as far as the upcoming iPhone 6 is concerned, and, of course, offer you a front-row seat. Obviously, nothing is confirmed just yet, and it's unlikely that this will change for at least a couple of months more, but that shouldn't discourage you. That's just how it is, especially when Apple is concerned -- the company's new products are usually kept a secret with a very decent degree of success. The iPhone 6 is no exception -- we're making a lot of (educated) guesses, but, ultimately, we won't know for sure until Cupertino pulls the veils off its flagship refresh.
The rumor mill, however, has been good to us this last year and a half, and we do happen to have a pretty good idea as to where the industry is headed. This is some shaky ground to be standing on, sure, but it's quite likely that we'll eventually end up having guessed at least a few of the below features correctly. We did it with the Galaxy S5, now didn't we?
So, do you want to be a part of that early sneak peak into the future iPhone? Let's cut the chase -- of course you do! Well, today it's as easy as flicking through the slideshow we've prepped for you. We've arranged the slides from most to least likely, so bear that in mind as you go through them.
1. New design
Apple is known for the uniformity in its approach to the iPhone, and that often makes it easy to forecast future changes. One such very likely change is the one in design. Over time we've come to know that Apple usually only rehashes its design once -- with its 'S' models. For example, the iPhone 3G and 3GS had a near-identical design, which then transitioned to a more squarish look with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, and the same goes for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. Therefore, it's quite likely that the iPhone 6 will be visually set apart from its predecessors to a certain degree. So far, the industry appears to agree that the new iPhone will look alike to a mix between the iPod Touch and iPad Air.
2. A bigger display with a higher resolution
Apple likes doing things its own way, and time has shown that it doesn't go after trends easily. However, this restrained approach will likely give in finally, and we'll see a significantly larger-screened iPhone -- one that can be put next to its many competitors from Android Land without looking tiny. Of course, a bigger screen will necessarily also mean a higher resolution, at least if Apple wants to keep its right to the Retina moniker (which it invented). So far, the most likely resolution appears to be 960 x 1704. This number is not random at all, and is instead derived from that very predictability in Apple's approach we mentioned earlier.
3. iOS 8
Also predictable is Apple's likely intention to introduce a new major iOS update, which will debut with the iPhone 6. We've actually had some concrete leaks in this particular regard, and apparently Cupertino could be readying a few additions to the core app line-up available right now. More specifically, it is likely that the Mac's iWork suite of apps -- like Pages, iPhoto and iMovie -- will make an appearance with iOS 8.
While still on the topic, it's unlikely that we'll see any design changes with the software.
4. Healthbook
One other app that appears likely at this point to make an entrance with iOS 8 is Healthbook, and it deserves its own dedicated slide due to its seemingly extensive nature. Apple has been hinting its intention of entering the wearables market for a while now, and each new indicator is less subtle than the last. An early leak of Healthbook corroborates that notion.
What we know (tentatively, of course) is that Healthbook is quite ambitious. It does seem like it'll be able to track an entire host of wellness-related variables, like your blood sugar, blood pressure, heart rate, hydration, respiratory rate, and even your sleep. Do we hear the tick-tock sound of the long-awaited iWatch in the not-so-distant distance?
5. Thinner profile, slimmer bezels
Apple likes slim, and that's obvious from its work up to this point. The entire industry agrees, actually, and acts upon the notion that thinner is better. This means that we'll be very likely looking at the iPhone 6 and admiring its even thinner profile. Some early rumors suggest thickness between 6.1 mm and 7.6 mm (0.24'' and 0.3''). It's also somewhat likely that we'll see Apple slim down the relatively fatty bezels found on the current flagship iPhone 5s.
6. The glass of the gods: sapphire
They say sapphire glass is tough. They even say that nothing but a diamond is capable of scratching it. Some even say it's better than Corning's Gorilla Glass. Apple seems to think so, at least (but not Corning, *surprise*), or so would its recent activities suggest. It started off by pretty much creating a billion dollar-worth industry around sapphire glass on its own (via an acquisition, that is), and you know what they say -- follow the money.
Considering that Apple is currently only using sapphire glass to cover its Touch ID fingerprint sensor and camera lens (and Gorilla Glass for the display), the extra capacity that Apple has helped make available will have to find itself a large enough market -- like the iPhone 6. Indeed, the idea of sapphire glass protection for displays has been thrown around the web for a while now, and it does seem like Apple is planning to bet on the extra-tough material with its next iPhone.
7. An improved, 64-bit A8 processor
Apple created quite the furor when it unveiled the iPhone 5s with the industry's first 64-bit processor. Its custom A7 chip not only did that, but offered quite impressive performance, especially if you consider its inferior-sounding duo of 1.3GHz cores.
Well, in typical Apple fashion, that A7 chip will likely become the A8 when talking iPhone 6, and deliver even better performance. According to one rumor, however, the A8 will focus on efficiency in terms of power consumption more than anything else. That's fine -- the A7 is more than powerful enough. On the other hand, battery life on the iPhone 5s stinks, especially compared with the latest crop of Android devices.
8. Higher resolution iSight camera
Even now, the 8-megapixel iSight camera of the iPhone 5s continues to stand strong when faced with competition. That said, it's probably time for Apple to bump the pixel count come iPhone 6, though we're not expecting anything drastic -- 10 megapxiels, perhaps.
On a relevant note, the rumor mill has been creating some noise, claiming that the new iPhone could come with Optical Image Stabilization. We, however, find that unlikely, especially since it will directly impact the iPhone 6's slimness, not to mention production costs. Rather, we'll likely see Cupertino focus its efforts on software stabilization. Samsung, for example, sure pulled that one off.
9. HD audio
Apple is apparently in the process of acquiring Beats Audio, which could mean a few things. For one, it seems likely that Apple will pursue some sort of improvements in the audio reproduction department with the iPhone 6, and Beats Audio's could provide the know-how. It has also been suggested that Apple could do something about its aging earphones included in the iPhone's box.
10. Water- and dust-resistance
IP certification, which indicates a phone's level of protection against dust and water ingress, has become quite trendy. Sony does it, and so does Samsung. We'll tag this one under unlikely, but it has been suggested that the upcoming iPhone 6 could be water- and dust-resistant.
Not a bad idea, though we never did like those clumsy flaps.
Source:phonearena
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