The iPhone 6, Apple's newest mobile device, will soon be available for purchase. The phone's release date is planned for the fall and we've got up-to-date coverage on the features, rumors and all-new OS that will accompany the device. Yesterday, a plastic frame was obtained by a tech blog. There is speculation that this may be the iPhone 6's new design.
On Friday, tech blog Techdy claim that they somehow acquired the body model of the new 5S, however, some analysts are claiming that is actually the model for the upcoming 6 series. The blog goes on to describe the unit in their possession.
“The budget iPhone will be made substantially from plastic (we can feel it’s actually polycarbonate material). It will have a 4" screen, like the iPhone 5, and interestingly, the budget iPhone actually has a shape that’s similar to Apple’s original iPod. When we hold the budget iPhone in our hands, the plastic chassis does not feel cheap at all. Unlike the plastic build quality of the Samsung Galaxy phones, the plastic material used on the budget iPhone feels more sturdy.”
Techdy continued about the new design:
"From the front, the budget iPhone looks almost identical to the iPhone 5. But if you look closer, the front glass of the budget iPhone sticks out a little. And the main differences are most obvious on the rear."
Techdy wouldn't specify on the release date of the product, however many agree that the phone will be released in the fall of this year. Some dissent does exist, though, in the blogging community. Some claim that the device won't be available for purchase in the U.S. until the first of the new year.
While many tech resources cannot agree upon an official release date, they do seem to agree upon which operating system will be loaded on the device. The majority of tech-review blogs, and more credible outlets, claim that the phone will be pre-loaded with iOS 7, Apple's newest venture into the world of mobile operating systems.
Not only will Apple be redesigning the appearance of icons (as verified by beta testers), it will also be incorporating some fancy new features to their apps. For example, Apple plans on utilizing a new "transparency" function. That means users can be engaged with one function and still view alerts and actions behind the app.
That's not the only new feature users have to look forward to. There is also Air Drop, an application that will allow users to share app data with other iPhone friends in the area. The method mirrors Samsung Galaxy users' ability to exchange data by "bumping" their phones together. With Apple's new system, however, users won't need to touch their phones in order to transfer info.
Another impressive feature will be the new "Control Center" function. The new addition will allow users to customize their device in a way they were never able to before. As Tech Radar reports:
"Control Center is one of the big ones; swiping up from anywhere on your iPhone or iPad will bring up the new hub for loads of control throughout the device. This means you can control music, screen brightness, turning off the radios and even flicking on the flashlight for when you need to stalk around a house in the dark."
Another important upgrade for the phone will be speed.
Reports recently circulated in South Korea which suggest that the phone will be much faster than its predecessors. Multiple media outlets are suggesting that the new phone will be capable of downloading data at a rate of 150Mbps. That is twice what the current LTE structure allows.
That rumor was started by Engadget, a company that has historically scooped the competition when it comes to breaking news about Apple products. According to their reporting, a South Korean company has been in talks with incorporating their advanced LTE-A technology within upcoming iPhone models. A rep from that company, SK Telecom, commented to the news org:
"SK Telecom is approaching Apple to put our LTE-A technology on the upcoming iPhone 5S. We are in the middle of negotiations. Consumers can expect the iPhone 5S with LTE-A in the coming months."
