AT&T introduced HD Voice using VoLTE technology recently, and although the Galaxy S4 Mini is its first device to support the feature, the iPhone may follow. According to 9to5mac, iOS 8 may bring VoLTE compatibility, allowing Apple phones to enjoy higher quality calls, and the chance to use 4G data at the same time. However, Apple is never a fan of adding in pointless features for the sake of it, so if networks haven't got their act together with HD Voice before the phone launches, then it may be pushed back until they do.
Add solar charging to that indestructible screen
Then comes solar charging screens, which we saw demonstrated at CES this year. Though 3M and SunPartner told us that their screens wouldn't be ready until 2015, Matt Margolis of Seeking Alpha believes that this type of solar screen is being built in the Arizona facility. While he could be right, we're uncertain this innovation will appear on the iPhone 6, especially given the rumors of how thin it will be. There's little room for more screen layers in a 6mm phone.
No Home button? Liquidmetal?
There are some non-screen related rumors. We've got an old report which talks about the abolishment of the Home button. Instead, some believe that the new iPhone 6 will rely more on gesture controls to navigate around the OS. It sounds plausible, but Apple will have to find somewhere else to put its new fingerprint sensor, something which wasn't known when this aging report was published.
A Forbes article by Anthony Kosner suggests Apple's upcoming mobile payments platform will integrate a Touch ID fingerprint sensor into the entire screen of the next (big) iPhone, eliminating the need for a Home button. Again though, this will add yet another layer to the thickness of the screen, which diminishes speculation that this will be a super thin 6mm phone.
It's also possible the iPhone 6 will have the first liquidmetal chassis. This has been a long-standing rumor, and while Apple has filed many new patents related to the technology, it's still considered a challenging material with which to work.
Faster RAM is a possibility
Apple may use new, faster, and more efficient LPDDR4 RAM in its upcoming iPhone, according to industry watcher Mark Margolis. He claims Apple will use Micron Technology's RAM – not only in the iPhone 6, but in all Apple mobile hardware – which should bring performance and battery life improvements with it. Additionally, Apple's 64-bit mobile processor should benefit from more memory too.
Better camera and iOS 8
There are a few rumors regarding the introduction of 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which came to Mac computers recently, along with a 128GB storage capacity. The camera could get an upgrade to 13-megapixels, although not everyone agrees, with others indicating the existing 8-megapixel camera will see improvements. Analysts from Nomura Securities are saying that the iPhone 6 will have better image stabilization.
According to a recent report from MacRumors, sources familiar with Taiwan's industrial chain are suggesting that the next iPhone will have at least a 10-megapixel camera, but even more interesting is that it will have an aperture of f/1.8, an upgrade from the current f/2.2. The sources also claim Apple will replace the current hybrid IR filter with a resin lens filter made by JSR, a Japanese company known for resins used in imaging equipment with CMOS sensors; the resins are said to be lighter and thinner, and capture clearer images because of their ability to minimize color shifts.
The iPhone 6 will logically come with iOS 8 installed, and although nothing has been heard about it at this early stage, it'll be interesting to see where Apple takes its newly redesigned OS next.
Picturing the iPhone 6
There's a lot of information to take in regarding the possible specs, look, and configuration of the iPhone 6 already. To help visualize what the next iPhone may look like, concept videos are often produced. They're speculative, of course, but usually based on the most likely configuration presented by the rumors. Most recently, Techradar put together the video you see below, which shows a super slim iPhone with a bezel-less display, allowing Apple to squeeze a larger display onto a small body.
MacRumors published a set of concept images comparing the iPhone 5S, with a 4-inch screen, and the iPad Mini with its 7.9-inch screen, to the rumored 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch iPhone models. They've been based on the leaked schematics mentioned above, and although they aren't official, it does show how complete Apple's 2014 range would look, in terms of screen sizes, should they be announced.
Oh, and one more thing…
Yes, there could be one more thing at the next Apple event, and it may be the iWatch. If Apple is going to come out with its own interpretation of the smartwatch this year, it makes sense for it to launch alongside the latest phone. We've pulled together all the talk about the iWatch here, so make sure you take a look.
The iPhone 5S was joined by the iPhone 5C when it was announced in 2013, and unless Apple deems the experiment a failure, we should see the iPhone 6C up on stage in some form. However, at the moment, all the attention is being lavished on its more expensive sister phone, the 5S.
That's about all we have for now, but we'll be updating this article regularly with more juicy iPhone 6 talk.
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Article updates
Updated on 06-09-2014 by Malarie Gokey: Newly leaked photos from China show super-thin iPhone 6 body and hint at light-up notifications from the Apple logo located on the back of the device.
Updated on 05-20-2014 by Andy Boxall: New rumors say the iPhone 6 could have a 1704 x 960 pixel resolution, and Apple could include HD Voice and VoLTE support.
Updated on 05-09-2014 by Andy: A new rumor points to an August release for the 4.7-inch iPhone, and September for the 5.5-inch model, plus another set of pictures showing a dummy phone have leaked.
Updated on 05-08-2014 by Andy: We've updated with the latest iPhone 6 mockup images, along with a new comparison video, and some rumors about the start of production.
Updated on 04-25-2014 by Andy: Added in a video showing a possible iPhone 6 case being compared to the iPhone 5S and the Nexus 5, plus more speculation about a curved glass screen, and another suggestion the new phone will launch before September.
Updated on 04-15-2014 by Andy: Following yesterday's leaked screenshot, we've now been given a look at a possible iPhone 6 front panel, showing a considerably larger screen. Additionally, there's talk of a price increase coming with the iPhone 6
Updated on 04-14-2014 by Andy: A leaked screenshot supposedly shows iOS 8 running on a larger iPhone, complete with a higher amount of app icons on display. Plus, more leaks point to the iPhone 6 being thinner than previous models.
Updated on 04-10-2014 by Andy: Further evidence has emerged we could see a pair of iPhone models announced this year, perhaps with a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch display. We've added in news on this, plus talk of faster RAM being used inside the device, a new concept image, along with a product roadmap created by an analyst.
Updated on 3-18-2014 by Andy Boxall: Added a few more rumors regarding the iPhone 6′s screen size, its resolution, and the pixel density. Also, a new report says production will begin between April and June, in a factory run by Pegatron, a long-time Apple manufacturer. Finally, we've put in a cool concept video, showing what the iPhone could look like if it has a bezel-less display.
Updated on 3-31-2014 by Jeffrey Van Camp: Leaked schematics further confirm that a larger iPhone is in the works and we uploaded a few new concept designs.
Updated on 2-07-2014 by Jeffrey Van Camp: Added a bunch of new concept photos of the iPhone 6 by Italian designer Federico Ciccarese (Thanks for the tip, CNET). Added a number of rumors to the mix but it looks like the Arizona facility may be able to produce 100-200 million phone-sized screens per year, and it could start production this month.
Updated on 2-07-2014 by Les Shu: Add in news about report from sources close to Taiwan's manufacturing chain, indicating that the iPhone 6 will have a faster lens and at least a 10-megapixel sensor.
Updated on 1-30-2013 by Andy: Add in news on a document which seems to have revealed Apple's new manufacturing plant will start producing sapphire components in February.
Updated on 1-27-2013 by Jeff: From the time of editing to publishing (over the weekend), Apple rumors surrounding solar screens and sapphire have emerged. I've added them into the roundup.
(Concept artwork courtesy of ADR Studio, Fabrizio Bianchi, Fuse Chicken, and Martin Hajek)
Article originally published on 01-27-2013.
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