New Delhi: Just a few hours left for Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" event and expectedly speculations are rife about what new Apple is going to unveil. Though, Apple has not officially announced anything about its plans to launch a new version of its bestselling smartphone; the tech world is abuzz with news and opinions about what everyone is calling the 'iPhone 5'.
However, it is difficult to say that even if it's an 'iPhone day' or whether it will be an iPhone 5 or only an iPhone 4GS. It all started when Apple, last week, e-mailed invitations for a media event at its headquarters in Cupertino scheduled for Tuesday morning. The invite said "Let's talk iPhone," implying the normally secretive company intended to show off the latest version of the device.
Besides, there is another reason for many to believe that a new iPhone is to be rolled out. The website of an accessories manufacturer, Case-Mate, updated to show what were apparently cases for Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5. Though the page was quickly removed, it triggered intense speculation about the shape of the next iPhone. If the new case is an indicator, the device will have curved edges. It could be more like the iPod touch than the iPhone 4. It also appeared wider than the existing iPhone 4.
Summarising all that is being spoken about the new iPhone around the web, here's an overview of what it could possibly turn out to be:
Hardware
1. According to Reuters, the iPhone 5 is expected to be faster, thinner and large-screened. "We expect improved processing power and camera capabilities, with a potential bump in RAM, though that may not be needed with iCloud," said William Power, analyst with Baird Equity Research.
2. The new model, which some have dubbed the iPhone 5, will have a bigger touch screen, better antenna and an 8-megapixel camera, one source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters in August.
3. One of the most notable hardware changes many industry watchers are predicting is the inclusion of a more powerful chip - Apple's dual-core A5 processor, which is the same chip it uses in its current iPad. The iPhone 4 runs on Apple's older A4 chip, and the move to a more capable chip should improve things such as multitasking, opening apps and gaming.
Software
1. The new iPhone is also expected to come loaded with the updated iOS5 software that Apple unveiled in June. Some of the new features include improved notification functions and better Twitter integration.
2. iOS 5 will include things such as wireless device setup and content syncing, and beefed-up camera, email and Web-browsing apps. A new service called iMessage will allow iOS 5 users to send text messages to each other over Wi-Fi or wireless carriers' data networks, while a folder called Newsstand will corral newspaper and magazine app subscriptions in one place to make it easier to find them.
3. Various sources have suggested that Apple will debut more robust voice control functionality.
4. A new iPhone is also expected to include Apple's forthcoming iCloud service, which will store content such as music, documents, apps and photos on Apple's servers and let you access them wirelessly on numerous devices.
Newly appointed CEO Tim Cook will do the honours this time from Apple's headquarters, running the first major product launch in years without impresario Steve Jobs, who resigned from the CEO post in August after being out on indefinite medical leave since January.
Also, some analysts also expect the company to unveil a cheaper model tailor-made for the fast-growing Asian market, one of the few arenas where Apple can accelerate its growth and where its rival Samsung is already making deep inroads. Apple's iPhone has been a huge success since it debuted in 2007, transforming the company from a computer and music-player maker into one of the world's leading mobile device makers. It accounts for about 40 per cent of Apple's revenue.
In another related news, Sprint Nextel Corp. has committed to buying more than 30 million iPhones over the next four years, according to a report published on The Wall Street Journal's online edition.
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