The iPhone 4S was a bit of a disappointment for millions of people around the world as it was very similar to the iPhone 4 Not too many people liked the fact that the iPhone 4S kept the same exact design as the iPhone 4, even though the iPhone 4 was released 16 months before the launch of the iPhone 4S. Only the processor and the virtual assistant in Siri, made the iPhone 4S different from the iPhone 4. Though the iPhone 4S has been selling like hot cakes, there are millions of Apple iPhone lovers who are waiting on the iPhone 5, that should hopefully come out in June or October of 2012. In the sections below, we will go over the most important new features that are expected in the iPhone 5.
iPhone 5 Specs
4G Speeds in the iPhone 5
3G is fast becoming history, with 4G HSPA and 4G LTE networks replacing 3G at an alarming rate. 4G speeds, especially LTE speeds, can result in download speeds of up to 32Mbps which makes 3G look like something that came out in the 1970′s. With so many Android phones already offering 4G LTE support, it will be a huge disappointment if Apple does not include 4G compatibility in the iPhone 5. Some industry experts actually say that Apple wanted to include 4G LTE support in the iPhone 4S (which was incidentally supposed to be the iPhone 5), but just could not manage it as the 4G LTE chips were just too big for the iPhone’s current design and battery capabilities. So, this could essentially mean that the iPhone 5 will get a larger screen. We have gone over the details on the iPhone 5 screen size in the section below.
Will the iPhone 5 screen remain at 3.5 inches or will it be enlarged to a 4 or 4.3 inch screen?
This is a pretty tricky question, for several reasons. To start things off, you must remember that Steve Jobs was very insistent about the iPhone’s screen size being no bigger than 3.5 inches, measured diagonally of course.Steve Jobs was so supportive about a 3.5 inch screen because he thought it was the optimal size for a phone. Steve Jobs also believed that anything more than a 3.5 inch screen will result in a strain on the battery that Apple just does not tolerate.
The biggest hurdle for Apple to overcome, if it wants to use a larger screen on the iPhone 5 is that it has to figure out a way to keep pixel density at about 336 pixels per square inch (the famous retina display), if the iPhone 5 screen is going to be at least of the same resolution as the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S, both of which have retina display. Since retina display is almost impossible on a 4 inch screen on a 4.5 inch screen, Apple might be forced to keep the iPhone 5 screen size at the same 3.5 inches that have been featured in all the previous 5 generation of iPhone’s.
When in 2012 will the iPhone 5 be released?
Apple has always been secretive about release dates for its products. So, we pretty much have to guess at a probable release date. There are thousands of people who are expecting to buy the iPhone 5 in just 6 months time, sometime in June or July of 2012. However, June and July have traditionally been reserved as iPad release dates and not iPhone release dates. With several rumors suggesting that the iPad 3 has entered production stage, it is very likely that the iPhone 5 will not be released in June or July of 2012, along with the release of the iPad 3.
Quite recently, we read some very interesting rumors or assumptions that suggested that the iPhone 5 will be released on the first death anniversary of Steve Jobs, who passed away on October 5, 2011. We agree that October 5, 2012 is the most likely release date of the iPhone 5 as the date also coincides with the traditional release date of Apple products in the fall, with Apple trying to put out a product just before the holiday season, where people are most likely to shell out about $300 or $400 on an Apple product.
What else can you expect to see in the iPhone 5?
Apart from 4G LTE, a larger screen and an October release date for the iPhone 5, the other big news about the iPhone 5 have to do with the choice of processor and operating system. There has been some wild speculation where some people are expecting that a quad core A6 processor will be the new heart of the iPhone 5 which will also feature a brand new OS in the form of IOS6. But, there are also some who believe that the iPhone 5 will retain the same dual core, A5 processor that has been featured in the iPhone 4S.
If you asked us, we would say that a quad core processor would be quite superfluous for a cell phone like the iPhone 5. No cell phone really needs the power of a quad core processor, at least for the average user. So, in all likelihood, the iPhone 5 will get the same A5 processor that has been used in the iPhone 4S. But, we are hopeful that the OS will receive an upgrade as there have been several rumors that have suggested that the IOS6 will support some exciting features such as NFC support, facial unlock technology, panoramic camera mode and so on.