The iPhone 6 News Blog

If you are reading this, then it probably means that you are convinced that the next iPhone — the one that will be released sometime in 2012 — will not be called “iPhone 5,” but rather “iPhone 6.” I know, I know — you have facts on your side: the next iPhone will be the 6th generation iPhone. Hence: iPhone 6.

And for as much as your logic and taxonomy is 100% correct, I am sorry to say that the 2012 iPhone will not be called “iPhone 6.” It will be the iPhone 5.

First off, Apple has already twice bucked the trend of naming their iPhones based on their generations. Cases in point: the second generation iPhone was called the “iPhone 3G,” and the fifth-generation iPhone was the “iPhone 4S.” The simple fact that Apple was willing to call their fifth-generation iPhone the “4S” — especially considering that it comes equipped with iOS 5 and the A5 chip — proves that their numbering and naming process has nothing to do with the iPhone’s generation. Think about it: last year’s iPhone was “555″ — that would have been a marketing slam-dunk. Apple passed on it.

However, even though Apple passed on the “iPhone 5″ name in 2011 doesn’t mean that they will squander it in 2012. We’ve learned through all of the iPhone iterations that Cupertino doesn’t change the number unless they are ready to seriously overhaul the iPhone from the outside in. And this time around, it appears that they will be dramatically changing the form factor and screen size; it will be an iPhone with a completely different look and feel.

In addition, there is so much pent-up iPhone 5 buzz in the media and consumer circles that Apple would be crazy to skip over the “iPhone 5″ name. Heck, an entire subculture has risen up around the dream of a groundbreaking iPhone 5. Apple will not squander the opportunity to channel the excitement and anticipation that comes with that name.

If Apple were to skip the “iPhone 5″ name and go directly to the “correct” iPhone 6, it would be confusing and disconcerting for the average iPhone user. Sure, you understand why the 2012 iPhone should be called “iPhone 6.” But you are not the average iPhone user; you are here, on the iPhone 6 News Blog, searching for the latest-breaking stories about it. But the majority of average Joe customers would think that they had black out for a year of their lives, and somehow managed to miss the release of the iPhone 5. Apple would never try to confuse the general public to that degree, just to keep true with the proper generation of iPhones.

So, how about another name other than “iPhone 5″ or “iPhone 6?”

That possibility is actually much more plausible — especially the suggestions that the next iPhone could be called the “iPhone 4G” or “iPhone 4GS,” thinking that Apple may want to include “4G” in its iPhone name in order to promote their first LTE smartphone. The question is, would Apple name a third iPhone with a “4?” In marketing terms, the “4″ is most likely spend by this point. And although the “iPhone 5″ name would be available down the line, it would have fizzled by then.

Chances are, we will see an “iPhone 5″ in 2012. In the meantime, we’ll use this blog to look ahead to some of the next-generation technology that could find its way onto the iPhone 6.

In spite of the fact that the 2012 iPhone will be Apple’s sixth generation smartphone, there is a higher likelihood that they will opt to call it iPhone 5. But read why we might not see an iPhone 6 until 2014.

Chances are, if you’re a passionate iPhone users who knows the ins and outs of Apple’s flagship mobile device, then you’re also one of the ones out there who argue that Apple should skip the name “iPhone 5” and head directly to “iPhone 6.” If you’re smart, then you know that the current iPhone 4S is in fact the fifth generation iPhone, and because of this, it would be inaccurate to call the next iPhone “iPhone 5.” And you would be right.

But you would also be wrong.

In spite of all the logic that suggests the next iPhone should be the “iPhone 6,” there is no way that Cupertino will fail to cash in on the still-lingering buzz about the iPhone 5. In the history of marketing, there has probably never been a speculative brand name like “iPhone 5″ that held so much power and potential revenue-generating potential. By choosing (or being forced) to release the iPhone 4S as its 2011 stand-in — and then by failing to hit the mark on expectations, such as a larger screen and LTE — there are still millions of smartphone users highly anticipating the iPhone 5.

And much of the buzz about the iPhone 5 has to do with its name as much as its features.

Because of the expectations for the iPhone 5 and the amount of rumors, speculation, and opinion that surrounds it in the media, “iPhone 5″ now is almost ubiquitous, representing the next generation smartphone. The name is expected to carry with it a new level of mobile computing that will set a new standard in smartphones, just as the iPad did to the tablet market when it was first released. Therefore, it would be foolhardy for Apple to fail to ever cash in on this market intensity.

To be sure, it would be accurate to name the 2012 iPhone the “iPhone 6.” But truth be told, “iPhone 6″ means nothing to the general public — it isn’t even on their radar. The keyword search garners about one tenth of the traffic that “iPhone 5″ does.

And given Apple’s new tendency to release a refreshed iPhone model every other year, it is not impossible to imagine that 2013 might feature the iPhone 5S before the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 may be slated for as late as 2014. And while I am sure that Apple engineers are already contemplating it, the marketing department at Cupertino is most likely looking at the “iPhone 5” as the next big product name to push out the door in 2012.

Be sure to follow all of the continuing news, rumors, and opinions about the iPhone 5 at our sister Blog, the iPhone 5 News Blog!

By Michael Nace

The tech media and iPhone users alike anticipated an iPhone 5 in 2011. But now that the 4S has been injected into the iPhone’s legacy, questions remains about whether the 2012 iPhone will be iPhone 5 or iPhone 6.

Speculating and prognosticating about the iPhone has quickly become a pastime in the tech blogosphere, with websites like DigiTimes leaking just enough bits of information throughout the course of the year to fuel a wide range of rumors about the next iPhone’s features and release date. 2011 marked a fever pitch of rumors that ubiquitously became known as the “iPhone 5 rumor mill,” with the “iPhone 5″ as the working title for what everyone expected the next iPhone to be named.

All of the stars seemed to be aligning: the 2011 iPhone was to be the fifth generation iPhone, with the A5 chip, iOS 5, and presumably a new form factor, validating the name “iPhone 5.” What we got instead was the incongruous “iPhone 4S,” named after the re-use of the iPhone 4 chassis and the added processing power accounting for the “S” in its name for “speed” — just as Apple had done with the iPhone 3GS.

Sticklers now have to get past the fact that the iPhone 4S has iOS 5, the A5 chip, and the designation of being the fifth generation iPhone. Apple was well aware of all these fives — and purposely turned their backs on the “iPhone 5″ name. And for good reason: the iPhone 4S, while indeed a groundbreaking device, isn’t necessarily deserving of the “iPhone 5″ moniker.

But from a naming standpoint, where do we go from here? How is the tech media going to brand the next iPhone? What name will it be given — “iPhone 5″ or “iPhone 6?” It is a conundrum, and there are no definitive answers on how to predict which one Apple will use in 2012 — or if they’ll use either or them.

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A new report suggesting that Apple will deploy its glass cutting machines in 2012 for a curved glass display indicates that the iPhone 6 will be the recipient of a form factor overhaul.

The current iPhone 5 rumor mill has gone back and forth in pondering whether the new iPhone set to be announced on October 4th will be a form factor refresh of the iPhone 4, or a completely new design. iPhone users who are eager to see the screen size of the iPhone increase are concerned that the use of the iPhone 4′s chassis on the next iPhone will not allow for a larger screen. For those who are worried about that scenario, a new report may provide even more concern.

According to DigiTimes, Apple is planning to start using its own glass-cutting equipment in 2012, ostensibly for a curved glass display and/or chassis for the iPhone 6: “curved cover glass may be the next big thing in terms of handheld device designs as both Apple and the non-Apple camp are reportedly gearing up for the releases of products with curved touchscreens in the first half 2012, according to industry sources.”
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Rumored features for the iPhone 6 will remain fuzzy until the next iPhone is released. But WSJ.com already foresees inductive charging on an iPhone 6 in 2012.

While WSJ.com has led the charge in breaking reliable information about the iPhone 5, it would seem that they now have some better insight into one of the big, bold features that awaits the iPhone 6 in 2012. According to a new report on WSJ.com, tech writers Lorraine Luk and Yukari Iwatani Kane claim that inside sources at Apple are close to developing wireless inductive charging for the iPhone 6 that, together with OTA updates and synching, could make that device completely wireless. Luk and Kane report that: “People briefed on Apple’s plans said the company is planning a major iPhone revamp then, with one person saying the company has been experimenting with features such as a new way of charging the phone.”

The obvious conclusion here is that Apple is perfecting wireless “inductive” charging for the iPhone 6, which will allow Apple to unveil an industry-first in 2012 with a completely wireless iPhone 6. Read More

As rumors that the iPhone 5 will stick with the same old form factor and screen size crystalize, it is more likely that Apple might save a larger screen and radical, net design for the iPhone 6.

There’s not much to be said about the iPhone 6 these days — mainly because we’re still waiting for the iPhone 5. But how the iPhone 5 turns out in the end will have much to do with the prognosticating for the iPhone 6 going forward. That being said, as we approach the announcement of the next iPhone, it is looking less and less likely that the new iPhone will sport either a larger screen or new form factor.

As we have reported on our sister site, the iPhone 5 News Blog, it is quite possible that Apple simply doesn’t believe in the notion of beefing up the size of its flagship smartphone. Instead, it may be a policy of Cupertino’s designers to keep a healthy amount of space in between the screens of the iPhone and iPad, seeking to avoid any product confusion between a smartphone and tablet PC. As we’ve seen in the mobile computing market lately, those lines are beginning to blur. And while that blurry line might help competitors, Apple has a vested interest in keeping its customers buying both iPhones and iPads.
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From PatentlyApple.com

While the iPhone 5 rumor mill has had its fair share of purported features for the 2011 iPhone, few of the features have been what onlookers would call “novel.” In many ways, wanted features for the iPhone 5 such as NFC, an 8-megapixel camera, voice recognition, and a larger screen already exist in the smartphone marketplace on Android phones. As a result, an underlying current of discontentment and concern continues to rise among iPhone users who feel as though the iPhone 5 could end up being just a “catch-up” device to Android.

Today, however, a new report emerged that suggests the iPhone 5 could indeed include a novel, new feature: a projector. While some Android phones have dabbled in this idea, none have successfully installed an onboard projector for displaying video, photos, and the screen onto any flat surface.
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