Tuesday 9 September 2014

iPhone 6 launch day rumours: Features, specs, price, release date and more Apple announcement gossip



The wait is almost over - as the iPhone 6 is finally set to be unveiled, find out all you need to know about most talked about smartphone ever

Less than six hours to go before Apple launch the hotly anticipated iPhone 6 and the excitement is palpable.

In what has been billed as their biggest release event in years, the expectations are high and tension levels are about to reach breaking point.

It is expected that Apple will have a few surprises up their sleeves, and for fans of the company's smartphones and other handheld devices, these last few hours must be torturous.

There's been some huge leaks surrounding the iPhone 6's launch, so speculation has barely stopped for months with the product's design, operating system, and price all being subjected to intense scrutiny.

Some fans are already camping outside the company's flagship stores in the hope that they will be among the first own the brand new device.

And if all this excitement wasn't enough, not only is Apple expected to launch two iPhone models - but there's widespread rumours that there'll be an iWatch and a new 'digital wallet' payment system on show.

In the meantime, here's a round up of everything we know - or think we know - about Apple's big announcement.

Screen



Everything we've seen so far points towards Apple gearing up to release two models of iPhone - one with a 4.7" screen, and another with a 5.5" display.

While it was rumoured the devices would feature a near-scratchproof sapphire crystal display, inspection of the Apple manufacturing chain has since suggested the costly material will not be standard - at least at launch.

There's talk of a premium model, with higher specifications which would include the sapphire glass - along with a costly price tag - but at present this is speculation.

Microscope pictures claimed to be of the iPhone 6 screen suggest a much sharper display than the current model.

The Retina screen on the current iPhone 5S has a density of 10.5 pixels per mm. The 1704x960 display suggested by the photos would be a much sharper 16 pixels per mm.

Speed

The iPhone 6 will feature a new super-fast WiFi chip, improving internet speeds dramatically.

It will also feature Apple's next generation A8 processor, which should give the smartphone a huge performance boost.


Design

iphone cobbled together from leaked factory parts
Leaked: The clip purports to show the new iPhone 6

The iPhone 6 is expected to have a more rounded body than the 5S - with a design that harks back to the original first-generation iPhone.

A video has been released online which claims to show an entire iPhone 6 constructed from parts leaked from the production line.


An alleged leaked schematic suggested the new phone will be 7mm thick - and the 4.7" model has a codename of N56.


Digital payments

The tech giant are reportedly working with  Visa, Mastercard and American Express  to develop an 'iWallet' payment system, allowing users to pay for things with thier phone.

It's thought this will use  Near Field Communication (NFC)  - the technology used for contactless payments.

Apple's system would allow users to link their iPhone with their credit card, using it to make purchases with a swipe of their device.

Battery Life

As well as a huge performance boost, the A8 processor is expected to improve power efficiency, and therefore increase battery life

On top of that, leaked photos supposedly showing the iPhone 6 battery suggest the charge capacity of the two models will be vastly improved.

The photos show two batteries - presumably for the 4.7" and 5.5" models - with whopping 1810 and 2915mAh capacities.

That's much bigger than the current iPhone 5s battery, which is just 1560mAh.

The high resolution screen is by far the biggest power drain on iPhone devices, which explains why the 5.5" model needs a larger battery.

Camera

Apple's new device is also expected to have a vastly improved camera, with a 13-megapixel sensor provided by Sony .

The new design is expected to feature a camera which protrudes slightly from the iPhone 6's new slimline body.

Although the 4.7" model is thought to be slightly thinner than the 5.5" iPhone, the measurements when the camera is included are the same, pointing towards the two models having the same camera sensor and lens.

iWatch
iWatch concept

Fans have expected Apple to get into the wearable technology business for a while, and rumour has it they're going to bolster Tuesday's event by unveiling the iWatch.

Not much is known about the iWatch, but it's thought it'll tie in closely with Apple's new HeathKit activity and fitness tracking framework - collecting data on the user's heart rate, motion and more.

It could also provide a bridge between Siri's voice command system and HomeKit, Apple's new home automation system - allowing users to remote control smart lightbulbs, door locks and appliances via the watch.

There's been speculation that HealthKit will be able to automatically put your iPhone into Do Not Disturb mode when it recognises you're working out - and even nag you if you haven't been to the gym in a while.

Apple will unveil the iPhone 6 on Tuesday, September 9th, at a major event in the tech giant's home town of Cupertino.

They're holding the event at the Flint Centre for the Performing Arts, the venue they used to launch the original Mac computer and the iPhone 5.

It's the first time in years that Apple have held an event at the Flint Centre - they usually unveil hardware and software at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Centre or at their own 'Town Hall' venue at their headquarters.

But the Flint Centre has a much higher capacity - approximately 2,405 seats - than those other venues, suggesting Apple is looking to launch its new products with a larger than usual bang.

The event kicks off at 10am California time, which works out to 6pm UK time.

How can I watch the event online?

The keynote speeches at Apple's big launch events are broadcast online by Apple. You'll be able to watch the speech through the iTunes app on any iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

There'll also be a special event app icon appearing on the home screen of Apple TV devices on the day of the keynote.

It'll also be streamed on Apple.com, though previous events have been restricted so they're only viewable using Apple's Safari web browser.

You can also follow all the events with the latest information and commentary with our full live coverage.

Release Date

The iPhone 6 release date has not yet been announced, but most rumours put it within a month of the launch event on Tuesday, September 9th.

Some have suggested the 4.7" model could be on shelves as soon as a week or two after the event.

But it's thought the 5.5" model will be held back - either because of manufacturing delays or as a deliberate move to prevent causing competition between the models.

Price

Apple's pricing is usually kept fairly well under wraps - you can never tell when they're going to pull a surprise price drop.

But if we base it on last year's pricing, the 4.7" model with the smallest capacity (16GB for the 5S) will cost in Pounds £549, the next up (32GB) £629 and the biggest storage (64GB) £709.

If Apple upgrade the maximum storage to 128GB as is rumoured, it's likely they'll make the minimum amount 32GB.

That's all based on the current screen size - we're expecting the price to shoot up for the 5.5" version, perhaps even more for the "premium" version with Sapphire glass.


No comments:

Post a Comment