Apple iPhone 5S Rumors: Release Date Set For Mid-September? iPhone 6 To Launch Weeks Later?
It's been six years since
Steve Jobs debuted the original iPhone in
June 2007, but for the phone's first five years, Apple had chosen to
release only one new iPhone model each year, as opposed to its
competitors, which have sought to release as many smartphone models as
possible each and every year.
In 2013, Apple
will reportedly break from tradition and release two new iPhone models for the very first time -- the sixth-generation iPhone called the
iPhone 5S,
and a completely new "low-cost" iPhone model aimed at emerging markets,
to be called either iPhone Light or iPhone 6. But while the degree of
rumors surrounding the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 indeed point to two
individual release dates this year, the key question is not a matter of
what or why, but when. Apple will never release product details before
they're officially unveiled, but given the timetable announced for
Apple's redesigned mobile operating system iOS 7, we fully expect to see
Apple's big iPhone launch coincide with the release date schedule of
iOS 7 -- specifically in mid-September.
Apple iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 Release Date: How Did We Arrive At This Conclusion?
Before we talk iPhone, let's quickly talk about the release date of
iOS 7. In
2012, iOS 6 was introduced June 11 and saw its release date on Sept. 19
-- exactly 100 days after its unveiling. We don't think Tim Cook wants
to mess with the successful Apple formula left behind by Steve Jobs, so
we believe Apple will again follow this iOS release timetable by
launching iOS 7 exactly 100 days after its introduction, on Sept. 18.
That said, Apple would never release its newest iOS without some new
hardware to go with it. This is why we fully expect Apple to release the
iPhone 5S just two days after the release date for iOS 7, on Sept. 20;
the iPhone 5S would likely be introduced an event one week prior to its
release (as well as the release date of iOS 7) on Sept. 10. For the
low-cost iPhone 6, Apple may wait a week or two to release its cheaper
iPhone alternative, on either Sept. 27 or Oct. 4 -- the latter date
would coincide with the two-year anniversary of the iPhone 4S, and
nearly two years to the day when Apple lost its co-founder Jobs to
cancer, but Apple would simply split the release dates of its two
iPhones to prevent major crowds at its retail stores.
Once Apple has all its iPhone products out of the pipeline, we
believe Apple will hold another event in October to release new iPads,
including a redesigned full-size iPad and an iPad mini with Retina
display, but possibly some surprises too -- potentially some major changes to Apple TV, but maybe, just maybe, Apple will finally unveil its highly rumored, highly anticipated smartwatch called iWatch.
Apple iPhone 5S Release Date Coming: What's New In This Year's Model?
By all accounts, the iPhone 5S will look identical its predecessor
the iPhone 5, with the exception of a few cosmetic changes. Apple has
reportedly adopted dual-LED flash for its rear-facing camera, which
means that circular flash is now pill-shaped, and many believe the
iPhone 5S camera has been improved from the 8-megapixels in the iPhone
5, likely to 12-megapixels. Photos leaked to Apple news site MacRumors
in mid-June claiming to be the iPhone 5S, which show off some of these
reported features as well as unique identifiers related to the iPhone 5S
components, lead us to believe the iPhone 5S photos are indeed
legitimate and the phone is preparing for its September release date.
The alleged prototype of the iPhone
5S on the left, and the iPhone 5 on the right. The iPhone 5S will
feature improved specs in the processing and battery departments.
Courtesy / MacRumors.com
Inside, the iPhone 5S is expected to operate just like the iPhone 5,
but the specs have been modified in a number of ways to make room for
new features. According to another leaked image of the iPhone 5S from
the same source, the phone's logic board has a slightly narrower profile
to allow more space for new components and connectors, and Apple has
improved its Apple-built CPU from an A6. But since the leaked image
shows a nameless Apple-built chip (likely an intentional move by Apple
to prevent leaks, since the new chip would make this phone a dead
giveaway), we're predicting this CPU is a new A7 chip designed by Apple
and introduced for the first time on this phone. The iPhone 5S has also
reportedly received an upgrade in the battery department, from the
iPhone 5's 5.45 Whr capacity to a higher capacity of 5.92 Whr.
The alleged interior of the iPhone
5S features a thinner logic board presumed to make room for more
components, including the rumored fingerprint sensor.
Courtesy / MacRumors.com
But the biggest new feature inside the iPhone 5S, by all accounts, is
said to be the integrated fingerprint sensor embedded directly in the
"home" button, which will likely replace the need for entering usernames
and passwords again and again on your phone. This fingerprint sensor --
courtesy of Florida-based AuthenTec, which was
urgently acquired
by Apple last July -- makes a great deal of sense on the iPhone 5S: The
iPhone has always had one button, so the fingerprint's sensor makes
sense, but Apple knew fingerprint sensing technology would be a hit with
consumers a long time ago, so the company invested millions of dollars
to start implementing this technology as soon as possible.
The iPhone 5S Sounds Great, But What About That Cheap iPhone 6?
When it comes to the iPhone 6, Apple is reportedly pursuing its same
strategy used for the iPod Touch, which is to release a low-end version
of the popular iDevice with all of the same important features, but
without some of the bells and whistles, and at a much lower price point.
Apple
released its cheapest, thinnest, most basic iPod Touch in May, likely foreshadowing its strategy with the release of iPhone 6.
The iPhone 6, according to
iLounge editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz, is a "cross between the iPhone
5, the fifth-generation iPod touch, and -- wait for it -- the iPod
classic." With its 4-inch screen like the iPhone 5, a tapered bottom
like the latest iPod touch and a rectangular shape like the iPod
classic, the low-cost iPhone 6 is said to be substantially made from
plastic, but feature a hybrid chassis made of both plastic and metal.
The right side of the iPhone 6 features a flat, centered SIM card tray
like the iPhone 5, with the locations of the camera, microphone and rear
flash in similar locations to the latest-generation iPod touch.
This leaked photo shows off the
alleged "low cost" iPhone 6, which features a plastic exterior that
houses older-generation chipsets and specs.
Courtesy / blog.tactus.com
But Apple's choice to release the iPhone 6 isn't about bold design;
it's about an iPhone that's inexpensive to make and cheaper to sell.
Apple will release the iPhone 6 globally, marketing it differently from
its main iPhone line by allegedly releasing the iPhone 6 in a
variety of candy colors (again
like the iPod), but the company will reportedly focus on driving this
phone into emerging markets such as India and China. Of the two
developing markets, China is Apple's largest after the U.S., and Apple
has many times tried to strike a deal with China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE:CHL),
the largest telecommunications carrier in the world, with 703 million
subscribers. If Apple is successful in selling the iPhone 6 on China
Mobile, the iPhone 6 will be the first iPhone to release with TD-LTE
frequency capabilities. Apple clearly wanted to close the deal early in
2013: On Jan. 10, Apple CEO Tim Cook
visited China Mobile headquarters to meet with Chairman Xi Guohua to discuss “matters of cooperation.”
We expect Apple to unveil the iPhone 6 simultaneously with the iPhone 5S
in September to coincide with the release date of iOS 7, but release
the two new iPhone models on two separate dates to avoid heavy lines at
its physical retail stores. What do you think? Does this release
timetable for iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 seem reasonable to you? Strike back
in the comments section below.