 "iPhone 5S: What we know so far")
We started hearing about the iPhone 5S just over a month after Apple pulled the covers off the iPhone 5 last year. Soon there were a string of leaks in the form of pictures, rumours and speculations. While we’ve seen “iPhone 5S” inscribed on the alleged leaked packaging of the device, it is yet not confirmed if that’s what Apple plans to name its newest iPhone. Now with a few hours left for Apple to unveil its newest iPhone, here’s what we know about the iPhone 5S so far.
Design and packaging
Knowing Apple’s tendency to make its device shed weight with every generation leap, one can expect the iPhone 5S to be slimmer and thinner than the iPhone 5. It is likely to maintain iPhone 5’s design, but we could see a few tweaks here and there. The home button is expected to be convex or slightly bulging outwards to accommodate the fingerprint scanner. Apple could also use a scratch-free, sapphire home button. In fact, that the iPhone 5S will come equipped with the fingerprint scanner has been one of the most
consistent rumours that we’ve been listening right from February this year. Moreover, last week we got a glimpse of the button circuitry hinting at a
possible fingerprint scanner.
Leaked image of the iPhone 5S packaging
Display
One of the most talked about components of the iPhone 5S has been its display.
Several leaks have shown that iPhone 5S will come with a 4-inch display just like its predecessor. Some other rumours also point out at a display size somewhere between 4-inch to 4.5-inches. Earlier we had heard that Apple 5S could be delayed as the company is considering a larger screen, but Apple put an end to all rumours by sending out invites for
September 10. The newest rumours claim that Apple is working with a
larger display up to 6 inches, but looks like it is preparing for the already rumoured iPhone 6. The display will most likely get a resolution bump and be more in line with some of the competition. Even so, it is highly unlikely that Apple will go for a full HD display.
Camera
While we had previously heard about the possibility of a 13 megapixel camera and dual LED flash, the most recent leaked hardware shots hint at an 8MP sensor instead. It is rumoured to feature an
8 megapixel F2.0 wide aperture lens rear camera with dual LED. The rear camera is expected to be improved to support 1080p video recording of up to 120 frames per second. A 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera could be equipped for FaceTime.
Processor
The iPhone 5S is expected to be more powerful than the iPhone 5. It is likely to be powered by the new version of Apple’s processor (presumably
called the A7) and Power SGX554MP4 graphics processor for better performance during demanding games and 3D rendering.
The front face of the alleged iPhone 5S
Storage
There is a possibility of Apple offering beyond the usual 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options. The leaked packaging of the iPhone 5S has disclosed that the company could put up an iPhone 5S with a gigantic
128GB variant. Earlier we’ve seen a 128GB iPad variant, and wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar iPhone variant too.
Colour options
It was in December last year that we first heard about Apple planning to add a
dash of colour to its next generation iPhone. So, one can expect more colour options apart from vanilla white and black. However, Apple doesn’t plan to borrow from iPod’s colour palette just as it is expected for the budget iPhone 5C. Instead the iPhone 5S is likely to be available in
bright gold, champagne and possibly graphite colour options.
More champagne-coloured (right) than bright-gold (left) (Image credit: iMore)
Features
While everyone is waiting to see the new iPhones, it is
iOS 7 who is known to be the hero of the show. With iOS 7, Apple has given a huge facelift for its operating system than ever seen before. Its new look is said to have
taken inspiration from other OSes. The iPhone 5S is expected to be the first device to run on iOS 7 and offer all its goodies. One can even expect improvements in Siri as well, as demoed during WWDC. The speech engine will be fine tuned and Siri will support new languages.
While all this should be taken with a pinch of salt, we’ll know which of these will come true in a few more hours. You can follow all the action with our live blog, which will go up closer to the event. We have more iPhone coverage coming through the day. So stay tuned to tech2 for your iPhone fix.
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