If rumors and insider sources are to be believed, then Apple's latest iteration of the iPhone may be dropping by September, and it is packing serious power in the camera department thanks to a 21-Megapixel shooter.
While the company has kept mum on the details of the newest model of the iPhone even during the recently-concluded Worldwide Developers Conference, it's a safe bet to say that the new model will drop by September, Apple's traditional date when releasing a new iPhone. Business Insider reports that the Mobile News blog has received an internal staff email from British telecoms company Vodafone outlining prelaunch plans, including naming September 25 as the actual first day of selling, with preorders being accepted as early as September 18. Techradar begs to differ though, citing reports from a Chinese news site that says the new flagship can go on sale as early as August.
Aside from the relative uncertainty of the release date, there is the issue of what the smartphone is going to be named. Apple may as well pick the logical choice and name it the iPhone 7, but there are some who think that it will go retro and go by the name iPhone 6s.
What's completely up in the air, however, is what the new iPhone will feature in terms of hardware.
UK tech site V3 has information that seems to point that the next iPhone might have two versions: a full-size one at 5.5 inches of screen size and a 4.7-inch one, similar to their variants for last year's iPhone 6.
The new handset is also rumored to have a dual-lens system for its camera, taking the quality of its photos to DSLR levels. Apple is said to be angling for Sony's 21-megapixel image sensor, the Exmor RS, as the backbone for the entire setup. Meanwhile, another Business Insider story points out that the front camera of the new iPhone has received a total overhaul, as it is said to now be able to capture 1080p video, shoot in slow-motion at 240 frames a second, and take panorama pictures, not to mention being outfitted with a new flash.
Even the material makeup of the handset is under speculation, as Apple is said to be implementing a special aluminum alloy called Series 7000, which is custom-made for the iPhone. This anodized, scratchproof alloy is already found on the Apple Watch, and could be used for deluxe editions of the new smartphone.
Finally, the upcoming iPhone is said to support the same Force Touch technology as the Apple Watch and the company's latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models.
Join the Conversation