Apple iPhone 6 — Conjectures
Tea leaf reading as rumours of the next iPhone swirl and swell
The controversies and opinions on the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S have not even been laid to rest yet and already the market is abuzz with rumors about ‘iPhone 6’. We will try to explore these rumors trying to shortlist ones which could be feasible versus ones which we think are just a figment of a technology lover’s imagination.
The mills are abuzz with the launch dates for the iPhone 6 with most saying it will be unveiled in second or third quarter of 2014, while some others have hinted as early as the first month of 2014.
We believe Apple will be busy with the launch of their Mac, Mac OS X and the iPad to effectively launch the iPhone earlier than the third quarter of 2014. That speculated, let us see what the iPhone 6 could offer.
The most prominent rumor swirls around the screen size for the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 is touted to have a larger screen — increased to 5 inches or more, aimed at shoring up Apple’s Achilles Heel, and allow them to recapture the market lost to larger screen Android phones.
It would also strengthen their product portfolio across diverse sizes — you could for the first time choose to have iPhones from 4 inches to 5 inches, iPad Mini for larger screens (7.8 inches) and then move on to the big boy — iPad Air (9.7 inch screen) or move to full-function machines i.e. their MacBook range at 11 thru 17 inches.
Will the iPhone remain a phone or become a phablet (a combination of a phone but nearer the size of a tablet), is a question everyone wants answered.
The next product spec on the wishlist is the successor to the 64-bit A7 chip introduced in the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S. Is Apple going to launch their in-house ‘A8’ chip?
Was the A7’s launch a harbinger of bigger things yet to come?
Apple lays a lot of emphasis and effort into the processors they put out there. But they’re usually always secretly two steps ahead in their development cycle. Is the A7 Apple’s way to put a new chip out there to announce their new arsenal and simultaneously work behind closed doors to maximize the devices’ capability by adding new software features to utilize this technology; like the Air-Drop technology using the Wi-Fi direct chip (in iPhone 5 and later)?
Its most probable that the team at Apple will already be working on the iPhone 6 and the app-ecology needed for the next chip.
Two of the biggest things on the horizon are Health and Wearables. With the FDA releasing guidelines for generating medical apps the A8 chip would be the perfect ticket to enable your smartphone to handle complex calculations which could allow it to replace some medical devices like a blood pressure monitors, blood sugar level monitors and maybe even support an app which could effectively read your moods or vital signs to predict an untowardly medical condition like an onset of a heart attack.
Along with the introduction of new apps, we could see the existing apps becoming more robust, intuitive and innovative in using the additional processing capabilities of the A8 chip. These could involve the camera, GPS, file transfer and a deeper integration with add-ons.
More tea-leaf reading — We may see innovations in gesture control. Apple has numerous patents in this department, and could further leverage gesture controls with the addition of intuitive eye controls or proximity gestures. This has already been explored by other manufacturers and Apple wouldn’t be far behind. Its not farfetched to see them soon being a part of your iPhones too.
Inductive charging could also be a new inclusion — wirelessly charging your phone (inductive charging) using an electromagnetic field created by an energy station to charge devices. This could be a serious addition as Apple has already filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, with capabilities to charge multiple devices simultaneously. Do read our article on “Induction Charging” to understand the technology.
We could also be getting an “in-car integration” increasing our media experience while motoring and a deeper Hearing Aid compatibility amongst some more.
If we go by news generated by Apple’s acquisition of WiFiSLAM and patents filed for indoor location service, Apple could also be developing better indoor location system, which now, primarily uses Wi-Fi and sensor (optical, radio and acoustic sensors) fusion. An indoor positioning system (IPS) is a network of devices used to wirelessly locate objects or people inside a building. So while the GPS loses you inside a building, IPS will take on when you enter one.
This could also be translated into enabling you to find out where you have parked; an area that Apple may explore.
The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have taken a hit in the area of “features vs. price”, so will the above features increase the perceived value of the iPhone 6?
While some opinions have been picked up from patents Apple has been filing over the recent past, this article is based on news articles and conjuncture.
We will keep you abreast with the build-up till the review of the final product; keep checking in.
Originally published at Chip-Monks.
