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Fanboys may well be content with their current Apple smartphones of joy, but there are no doubt more than a few already looking to the future. Notably, an iPhone 5-shaped future.
Google's Android continues to find its way into more handsets by the day, and while no one will doubt the brilliance of the Apple smartphone, delivering the goods has perhaps never been more crucial.
Talk of the 'iPhone 5' has noticeably gathered momentum in recent months, and as we anticipate how Apple will change the smartphone game once again, we've rummaged through the speculation, 'trusted sources' and patents piecing together how the iPhone 5 could take shape.
One of the most significant developments in the appearance of the iPhone 5 is the news that 9to5mac have discovered evidence of the iPhone 5 existing in the coding of the new iOS 5.1 beta release.
Apple iPhone 5 to have 4-inch display?
While it's been reported below that the iPhone 5 is having displays built by Toshiba, there has been a new rumour from AppleInsider which suggests that in face Hitachi and Sony are making a 4-inch display, reportedly for a unspecified Apple device. Could this be the iPhone 5 or a brand-new iPod Touch? There's no confirmation either way but it certainly points towards Apple finally changing their screen size across the board.
Nikkei Business Daily announced last year that Toshiba was set to build a new factory in Ishikawa tasked with producing high-res LCD panels for Apple’s upcoming ranges of iPhone and iPod Touch devices.
The new Japanese based factory, set to cost 100 billion Yen (£757 million) and be constructed during 2011, will double Toshiba’s current monthly production capacity of 8.5 million units.
Part funded by Apple, the new factory will begin production this year with the Apple iPhone 5 expected to be one of the first devices catered for.
Apple iPhone 5: new design
The Wall Street Journal reported that its 'in-the-know' contact believes the iPhone 5 will feature a “different form factor”, adopting a brand new design following the antennagate issues that resulted in signal issues and dropped calls.
Since then Engadget has spoken to multiple sources who claim that a complete redesign of the handset body is on the cards and that the device is already being tested by staff at Apple HQ.
However, leaked designs and mold engineering images tell a different story, suggesting that the only aesthetic change for the iPhone 5 will be a larger display and smaller bezel.
Also on the cards for the iPhone 5 is an all-metal back, similar to that found on the original iPhone, reportedly in a bid to avoid the embarrassing antenna issues experienced on the iPhone 4.
The glass posterior of the iPhone 4 was also prone to unsightly cracks if treated roughly, and was rumoured to be the cause of the delay of the white model - a headache all round for Apple.
An Apple patent also points to the iPhone using smaller conductive nodes beneath the screen, allowing for the overall device to be slimmer. Tipped to also feature for the iPad 2, the new method could also use less power, giving you longer battery life from each charge of your iPhone 5.
Latest: The Wall Street Journal have once again claimed that the iPhone 5 will be “thinner and lighter” than previous models whilst sporting a widely expected 8-megapixel camera and September release date.
Quoting sources at component suppliers, WSJ suggest that in the midst of a legal battle with the Korean tech giant Apple’s next-generation smartphone will do away with the current breed of Samsung CPUs instead opting for a Qualcomm produced processor.
Apple iPhone 5: A5 processor and Qualcomm chips
The Wall Street Journal was again amongst the first to report that “people familiar with the matter” had confirmed the iPhone was to receive an overhauled chipset in order to contend with a rise in competitive high-end smartphones running versions of the Google Android operating system.
Apple is tipped to ditch the 1GHz A4 processor found inside the iPhone 4 for the dual-core A5 CPU.
Apple used the same A4 chip in its iPhone 4 as in its original iPad, so repeating this trick with the A5 chip like they have for the iPad 2, would see the iPhone 5 in line with upcoming dual-core processor powerhouses like the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC Sensation.
On the wireless chipset providers front, Infineon may make way for Qualcomm, likely in a bid to avoid connectivity issues previously faced with the iPhone 4.
Apple iPhone 5: Near Field Communication (NFC)
The year so far has seen a slew of handsets with NFC such as the Galaxy Nexus S or the range of Nokia phones that have featured NFC, with these handsets proving the success of the technology analysts predict that the proportion of NFC phones will rise to 50 per cent by 2012.
The same analysts believes this will be because major manufacturers like Apple are planning to make a NFC-enabled iPhone 5.
Successfully trialed by 02 in 2008, the appearance of NFC in Google’s Android 2.3 update means it is likely to be on the radar for Apple as well.
Benjamin Vigier, Apple’s new Mobile Commerce Manager joined the Apple ranks last year with his CV showing a lot of experience in the NFC field, having helped Starbucks create a bardcode-based way of paying for your morning coffee and even setting up Paypal Mobile.
Apple has already filed a string of patents regarding NFC appearing on the iPhone, and Vigier’s appointment could well mean the iPhone 5 will see some of the action.
Its arrival would essentially mean turning your iPhone into a virtual credit card, allowing you to pay for everything from cake to clothes by waving your smartphone across a dedicated reader.
Apple iPhone 5: integrated SIM
To make purchasing your iPhone direct from Apple’s online or highstreet stores a much easier process, reports suggest that the iPhone 5 will include an integrated SIM to do just that.
Allowing Apple to assign networks to individual handsets at customer’s request, the integrated chip rumoured to feature on the next handset will carry subscriber identification information and ultimately see the end of the little plastic cards currently issued directly from network service providers.
With users able to pick a network provider at the point of sale, Apple could simply program the new device to that company’s service eliminating the need for shoppers to wait for networks to activate the handset or for the arrival of the corresponding SIM.
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