When it comes to smartphones, the first few months of 2013 moved the proverbial goalposts.Android handsets flourished with Full HD screens, aluminium or glass unibodies and every feature under the sun.
Apple’s iPhone 5 has been on the scene for a while now but its thunder is in danger of being stolen by the Android Army.
The question we all want to know is what will Apple do next? With Cupertino updating the iPad 3 just months after releasing it, there are reports that an iPad Mini 2 or even an Apple TV could be on the way.
What we know for sure though, is that the company will want to reclaim its smartphone crown. So, T3 has gathered together everything we know about the rumoured iPhone 5S.
Apple iPhone 5S casing
If some recently leaked photos from China are to be believed, the casing and outward design of the new iPhone 5 S won't be all that different to the current iPhone 5 handsets.
If the pictures are genuine, they show the new iPhone 5 S will have the exact same design, dimensions and measurements as its predecessor. The only difference between the two, according to these images, is the length of and shape of the screen cable and the parts that connect them to the chassis.
This would be in line with Apple's established pattern with its iPhone handsets since the 3GS came out, which involves leaving the basic iPhone chassis largely untouched and instead concentrating on upgrading the internal parts.
Up until now, Apple hasn’t strayed from the white/black colour scheme for its phones but Topeka Capital Research analyst Brian White has said he believes that along with different colours, the iPhone 5S may arrive in different sizes.
This appears to be backed up by Japanese tech site Macotakara which also believes the iPhone 5S will have three extra colours added to the black or white standard.
If Apple launched three models, for example with 3.5-inch, 4-inch and 5-inch screens, it would allow the company to grab both premium and budget customers.
However, this could be more of a plan for the iPhone 6 as, traditionally, “S” models have kept the same outer casing as their immediate predecessors. At the bare minimum, we’d expect to see a better camera (although don’t expect ultrapixels, HTC One-style) and a faster processor.
Apple iPhone 5S specs
When it comes to the specs of the next iPhone, at the very least we expect Apple to use the A6X chip currently found in the latest iPad. However, the latest rumours suggest Apple could be working on an A7 chip for the forthcoming iPad 5.
In years gone by, Apple has previously worked with Samsung to produce processors for it's iPhone range. But, given the recent legal tussels between the two companies, many speculate that Apple will want to distance itself from the Korean company. Some rumours have hinted at an Intel chip being included in the next iteration of the iPhone.
Some purported images of iPhone 5S prototypes appear to show a change in the hardware configuration that suggests Apple is moving things around to make space for a bigger battery or extra features such as NFC.
Apple famously decided to withhold NFC for the iPhone 5 and since both theSamsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy S4 have arrived toting the new connectivity, Apple may want to incorporate it this time around.
Recent reports from Taiwan and tech website NFC World indicate that manufacturer Chipbond has won a major contract to build components for the iPhone 5S - including NFC. What's more, other rumours suggest that Apple will go further and include a fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5S, adding in extra security.
In terms of storage, there is the strong possibility of Apple launching a new phone with 128GB storage – similar to the latest iPad upgrade.
Meanwhile Jeffries analyst Peter Misek told Business Insider that he believes the iPhone 5S will feature a “Super HD screen” along with a range of colours similar to the iPod Touch range. Considering all the top Android handsets feature Full HD displays, we reckon its unlikely Apple will launch the iPhone 5S with anything less than a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution.
Apple iPhone 5S camera
It’s well known that one of the key battlegrounds of smartphone warfare is the specifications of the on-board camera. The Sony Xperia Z and Galaxy S4 arrived sporting 13MP cameras while HTC upset the apple cart by including a 4MP “ultrapixel” camera into its HTC One handset.
Apple has consistently upped the camera specs in each of its models and its no stretch to think that the company will do the same for the iPhone 5S. According to iLounge, Cupertino isn’t planning to go down the HTC route and will instead launch the 5S with a 13MP camera – putting it in league with the Sony and Samsung handsets.
Of course, hardware is only half the story and if Apple can come up with some killer in-house apps to take advantage of the camera in new ways it will give them a good start on the competition.
Apple iPhone 5S pictures
A few interesting pictures have leaked out onto the web regarding the iPhone 5S. One of the first to emerge was the back of an unspecified type of iPhone that was leaked to Nowhereelse.fr.
There’s not much to go on here, but – as expected – the casing and design looks almost identical to the iPhone 5. Tellingly though, the serial numbers underneath the iPhone moniker aren’t listed.
While it would certainly fit with the design of the current iPhone it doesn't yet confirm whether the 5S will come in a range of colours - much like it did with the iPod Touch - or whether the company will simply stick to the black/white variants.
This second image (pictured at the start of this article) apparently shows stripped-down iPhone 5S casing next to a current iPhone 5 teardown image. The snap was initially uploaded to iPhone4Parts and looks very similar to Apple’s current design – except with a few screws lost along the way.
Apple iPhone 5S release date
Plenty of sources have weighed in with opinions on when the iPhone 5S and the overriding good news is that it appears to be sooner rather than later. For the most part, the majority of rumours hinged on late summer as the likely date for the new phone.
Business Insider recently came across reports that the new iPhone 5 will be enter production in June 2013. Manufacturers like Sharp, LG and JapanDisplay are said to be constructing displays for the new hanset and the actual device itself may arrive in "the Fall".
According to iMore rumours, we may have to wait until August 2013 to see the iPhone 5S, which would make it a full year (11 months) since the company first revealed the iPhone 5.
However, Apple's Worldwide Developer's conference is taking place in San Francisco from June 10-14, and we may see a few more rumours and leaks develop as a result. We'll temper that by saying that the focus of WWDC isn't the hardware. Expect more news about iOS and OS X, with maybe a snippet about the next Macbook, rather than any detailed tellings on the future of iPhone.
Still, fingers crossed, eh?
8:03 PM
Unknown
