Apple iPhone 5: Popular Rumors About New Expected Features

Apple hasn’t yet launched its iPhone 5, despite hopes that it would do so last year before it offered up the iPhone 4S. But that doesn t mean the company won’t do it this year. In fact, rumors abound, suggesting Apple will launch the iPhone 5 this year. The stage is set, according to the latest rumors, for Apple to blow smartphone users away with its next smartphone.

That said, it s hard to determine what the device might come with when it launches sometime later this year. Over the last several months, a host of rumors have surfaced that either corroborate or counter earlier claims. All that has created a scenario where rumors keep coming and consumers have no idea what to believe. It s a real issue for analysts, too, who want to predict Apple’s future financial success.

To provide some understanding of the rumors circulating about the next Apple iPhone model and to provide some guidance about which ones might be more plausible than others, this column will examine 10 of the more prevalent rumors. Then readers can decide which ones make sense and which ones don’t.

1. A bigger display

The iPhone s 3.5-inch screen looks awfully small compared with competing devices featuring a 4.3- or even 4.6-inch display. Now a host of rumors suggest that Apple could launch either a 4- or 4.6-inch screen with its new iPhone 5. If so, that just might make current iPhone customers want to ditch their current devices and take advantage of the bigger screens.

2. A June launch

According to the latest rumors, all signs point to a June launch for Apple’s iPhone 5. The rumor mill, citing information supposedly leaking out of Apple supplier Foxconn, claims that the device will be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference–an event used in the past for new iPhone launches–and be released at some point around that time.

3. An October launch

Guess what? Another rumor out of Foxconn says Apple doesn’t want to launch the iPhone 5 in June, since it would be too close to the launch of the iPhone 4S. Therefore, the company is reportedly considering launching the device in October to give the 4S enough room to generate massive profits for the tech giant.

4. 4G LTE iPhone

When Apple launched the new iPad with 4G LTE connectivity, nearly everyone believed that the iPhone 5 would follow suit. Now, a host of rumors have surfaced confirming that speculation. What’s not clear, though, is how Apple will handle battery drain that inevitably comes with LTE support.

5. An all-new design

Apple has been using the same glass design in the iPhone for two years, which makes it quite likely that Apple will do something special with the iPhone 5’s looks. According to Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White, who spoke with component suppliers, the new iPhone will come with a unibody design that won t look like the iPhone 4S.

6. Support for the Apple A5X chip

In the past, Apple has brought a new processor to its iPad first and then delivered the same chip to its next-generation iPhone. Several rumors have suggested that Apple will follow that same plan with the iPhone 5 and make the A5X chip, featuring dual-core processing power and quad-core graphics support, available in the next-generation handset.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Apple iPhone 5: 10 Most Prevalent Rumors About New Features