Now that Samsung's Galaxy S4 is out, speculation turns to Apple its upcoming products. Both next-generation iPhone and iPad are the subject of rampant speculation, although, as per usual, Apple has neither confirmed nor denied anything. Here is a summary of all the major iPhone 5S and iPad 5 developments so far.
iPhone 5S
Rumors from the Far East indicate the next-generation Apple smartphone will be available in multiple colors. The only iPhone colors currently available are black and white. Japanese blog Mac Otakara says Apple will add one more color to the existing line up, so iPhone 5S will now come in three colors; however, the third color remains a mystery. We hope its puce. Meanwhile Brian White, an analyst with Topeka Capital Markets predicts the iPhone 5S will come in eight colors similar to the ones for the iPod Touch; pink, yellow, purple, blue, green, silver and shades currently found on the iPod nano.
According to White, Apple's next iPhone will be available in two or three different screen sizes and will launch in July, CNET reports. "One model would likely adopt a size larger than 4 inches. That could prove tempting to customers who might otherwise gravitate to larger-screen Android phones. A second model would stick with the current 4-inch display for people who don't want a change. And a third could go smaller than 4 inches and sell at a lower price," the report says.
White believes that a lower-cost iPhone and the revamped iPhone 5S will make their debut in July. The budget phone will feature a curved back casing made of colored plastic which will be thicker than the iPhone 5. The device is expected to feature new fingerprint technology as well.
The next iPhone is expected to use an A7 processor manufactured by TSMC and will introduce a camera enhancement in the form of a Smart Flash feature.
The next iPhone is expected to arrive sometime in June, the month Apple usually holds its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). According to a recent Wall Street Journal post, the production of the next-generation iPhone will begin this quarter, which would put it in line for a July or August debut. iMore thinks Apple will release the iPhone 5S at a press conference in August.
iPad 5:
The latest rumor surrounding Apple's next flagship tablet originates from a set of leaked images (from Nowhereelse.fr) of what appear to be the bezel of the new full-sized iPad 5. The images reveal narrower edges than current models suggesting that the next Apple tablet could be a smaller device with the same screen size. LG Display and Sharp will supply iPad 5's display and the touch panel assembly will be conducted by TPK. The ITO thin film will be supplied by Nitto Denko and Teijin.
The next-generation Apple tablet has reportedly taken major design cues from the iPad mini and iPhone 5 offering more chamfering than the previous models.
The leaked images appeared just hours after the hit-or-miss Taiwanese publication DigiTimes reported that Apple will begin production of its next-generation tablet in July-August 2013. "Volume production of the fifth-generation 9.7-inch iPad will kick off in July-August 2013, according to sources with Taiwan-based supply chain makers. Yield rates for key components, especially touch panels, will be a major concern for smooth production," the report says, quashing earlier speculations about a possible April release of iPad 5. The report also speculated that the new iPad will be thinner and lighter than the fourth-generation tablet and will feature a slim bezel design, similar to that of the iPad mini.
NPD DisplaySearch speculates that next iPad will have a thinner backlighting, which may get it closer to the iPad 2 in thickness and weight. "It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in an e-mail to CNET.
Gene Munster of investment research firm Piper Jaffray predicts that Apple will release a re-designed iPad with both Retina display and iPad mini traits in a media event in March or April 2013.
