It has been a bizarre summer for Apple, so it is fitting that the rumors surrounding the next-generation iPhone are a bizarre mess as well. After all, this is the first time, since the introduction of the original iPhone, that the picture surrounding the next-generation device has become increasingly blurred as we move closer and closer to launch day, instead of becoming clearer.
In the early summer of 2008, we knew at least that a new iPhone would be making it’s way to market. We also had a decent idea that it would carry a different design than did the original iPhone. The next year’s model retained the same design, but gained a faster processor. Then 2010’s model leaked well ahead of schedule and revealed itself to the world. We haven’t been so lucky this year.
The first odd bit about the new iPhone is the fact that it wasn’t released in the summer. We’re still waiting for it. More importantly however, and what this piece is largely about, is the fact that we still do not know for certain what features the device will have, nor what it will look like. There are simply too many conflicting rumors floating around the device even at this late date. A launch date simply cannot be more than a month away if Apple wants to meet holiday demand.
As of this writing, there are two, possibly three views of what the next-generation iPhone will be. The first view suggests that the new iPhone will look more or less identical to the iPhone 4, except it will sport the faster A5 processor (currently shipping in the iPad 2) and be equipped with an 8-Megapixel camera. The rumor mill has dubbed this device the “iPhone 4S”, since after all, it would be much like the iPhone 3G to 3GS transition of a few years ago.
The next view suggests that the new iPhone (dubbed “iPhone 5”) will feature an all new design, along with the A5, and 8-Megapixel camera. Current rumors suggest that the device will have a tapered back, possibly with a larger screen (highly unlikely in my opinion) and host a slew of other changes. This would make sense considering the iPhone 4 has been on the market for nearly 15 months, which is far longer than any other flagship iPhone has gone unrefreshed. An all-new design would certainly reinvigorate public interest. Not that it has been lacking lately.
The final vision of what the next-generation iPhone might be, is a conglomeration of the two ideas just mentioned. That is, the “iPhone 4S” would take the place of the iPhone 3GS (which is over two years old now) on the low-end of the iPhone sales hierarchy, while the new, next-generation “iPhone 5” would take over the iPhone 4’s slot at the high-end of the sales hierarchy. At the moment, this seems like the most likely scenario to me.
The iPhone 4S is rumored to be stripped of fancy materials, such as the glass back, in an effort by Apple to cut down manufacturing costs, thus making it feasible to sell at the low end of the market. The iPhone 5 could be the “premium” phone and sit on a lofty perch until this time next year when it would slide down and replace the hypothetical iPhone 4S. Oddly though, current reports suggest both the low-end iPhone 4S and high-end iPhone 5 will be equipped with the A5 processor.
This scenario would also explain why we are hearing so many conflicting reports. Apple would have had to have been working on both devices at nearly the same time in an effort to get the devices to market this fall. Thus, the reason we’ve been seeing iPhone parts that have been attributed to both the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.
In other words, the rumor mill has been playing this as a zero sum game. That it is one way or another, but can’t be both. At the moment it looks like it might be both.
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TAGS: iphone 4s, iphone 5, next-generation iPhone
