Its official; 2014 is finally here. And with the Christmas and New Year festivities now firmly behind us, many are wondering as to what this year will bring. And perhaps more importantly, what exciting new toys Apple has in store for us. However, before we delve into the rumours circulating this year’s anticipated mobile upgrade, it is important to review our current handset situation having finally said farewell to 2013.
The Frustrating 4
Despite feeling ahead of the game on purchase, your iPhone 4 now falls miserably behind the trends. What is more, your screen has taken a battering and is left looking remarkably sorry for itself – if not impossible to read. Downloading iO7 has made your device frustratingly slow to work with and freezing is currently an everyday part of life. All in all, you are desperately counting down the days until your upgrade is due so that you can finally bring yourself up to date with the rest of the crowd…but what you all really want to know is, is it worth waiting…
Flaunting the 5:
For those of you who have recently upgraded or were generously spoilt this Christmas, you are enjoying life with your new sophisticated iPhone 5s, or your more vibrant iPhone 5c. For you, the wait was simply not an option. Therefore, news of the iphone 6 fills you with fear of being tied to an 18 month contract that will serve to stand between you and the latest technology…
Regardless of what category you find yourself in – or if you don’t even own an iPhone at all – it is an unquestionable fact that the nation is watching closely for hints as to what Apple will surprise us with this year. But just how long exactly is the wait and does it look set to be worthwhile?
Largest iPhone yet?
One of the most current and frequently circulated rumours is that the next iPhone handset looks set to embody the biggest screen that we have seen thus far. Just quite how big is still uncertain, although some have suggested that it could have a 4.7 – 5 inch display panel.
However, it is possible to draw some potential issues here. Firstly, there is surely a risk in making the recently released iPad Mini virtually redundant. But perhaps more importantly, given that most of us are guilty of being permanently attached to our mobile devices, if we can no longer seamlessly slip them into our coat pocket then we could have a problem…
A Stronger Screen
There are few people out there who can boast of having never dropped their iPhone. In fact, it is far from rare to see students picking out fragments of glass as they attempt to text on what can only be described as a car crash of a screen. And if you are sat reading this feeling smug, then just you wait. Your time will come.
So with nearly every iPhone owner having considered a screen replacement at some point during their Apple experience, it is about time that the company sought to develop this area a little further.
Therefore, all you accident prone students out there will be overjoyed to hear that Apple has been rumoured to spend around $579 million in a bid to speed up the development of a sapphire glass display. This has not only been described as virtually scratch free but also twice more durable than the current model.
Relieved?
Me too.
No More Home Button
Some have claimed that Apple looks set to remove the iconic home button from the future iPhone 6, perhaps to make way for a larger screen.
However, with the recent incorporation of touch recognition these rumours seem unlikely.
Rather, there is more chance that Apple will further utilise the use of this technology. For example, by expanding the use of Touch ID to work in conjunction with banking applications that require passcodes, Apple could potentially tighten security whilst also making the overall experience faster.
But either way, the home button looks set to stay.
Wireless charging
Possibly one of the most exciting rumours currently spreading is the concept of wireless charging. According to the New York Times, Apple has been experimenting with alternative ways in which they can power their devices.
Whilst wireless charging has only recently started to emerge in relation to mobile phones, the Nokia Lumia 920 relies on a charging pad in order to replace the use of a plug in cable. However, we can always trust Apple to step up the game and their proposed technology looks set to do exactly that. By using a near-field magnetic resonance, Apple has the potential to charge future iPhones without any contact at all.
Vehicle Location
For all those times that you have trudged around the car park late at night, laden with shopping bags intent on cutting off your fingers while you desperately attempt to locate your car, the iPhone 6 could behold the answer.
Apple’s patent applications published last Thursday include their latest ‘Vehicle Location System,’ which describes a straightforward and easy way in which iOs device users can save and recall the location of their car, making forgetting that hidden parking space a thing of the past.
And you have to admit, it sounds pretty James Bond…
Overall, Apple is under immense pressure to impress once again. With masses now looking to them as a market leader, it is interesting to question whether Apple really knew what they were letting themselves in for. With a continually demanding generation of consumers, it won’t be long until we expect our iPhones to be capable of attending our lectures and whittling off first class dissertations.
Nonetheless, it is impossible to second guess what Apple really has in store. And fair play: this has proved to be a key to their success. Unlike Blackberry, who bored us with buttons that were so 2008, Apple has encapsulated the imagination of a younger generation who have immersed themselves in the image of the brand and its future ahead.
That said; the company has been seen to ease up under CEO, Tim Cook. The majority of the predications made in relation to the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s materialised to be true, including the new variety of colours and the latest fingerprint sensor. However, regardless of how much truth lies in the current rumours, they are all undeniably indicative of the exciting future of smartphone technology ahead.
In the meantime, despite indications of an earlier release, the iPhone 6 looks set to hit the shelves around June or September, based on Apple’s previous launch history.
Not as early as some might have hoped, but after all; patience is a virtue…
Photo Credits:
Photo One: ‘Smashed iPhone’ www.geebowebstudio.com
Photo Two: By Steve Cadell www.inspiremycase.com
Photo Three: The NuGuard KX blog.macsales.com
Photo Four: ‘The Wire God’ houraney.com
Photo Five: Saturday Car Thread 02/01/14 – Niedermeyer’s Dead Horse & Countrysquire
Photo Six: Memegenerator.net