The New 2013 Apple iPhones

Rumors and Expectations

On Tuesday September 10^th, Apple will announce new iPhone models running iOS 7, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system. That much is expectation rather than rumor.

Photo credit lifestyle9

Everything else is best characterized as a rumor. 

Speculation evolving over the last few months, helped along by the occasional leak or tech reporter with a source, has converged to the point where most tech news sources (such as Techcrunch, Engadget, TWiT, Maccast, Apple Insider, Macrumours, etc.) are now very much in agreement. I’ll try to hit the highlights here.

• We should see two models, a higher end iPhone 5S, with incremental improvements over the current iPhone 5, and a lower end iPhone 5C intended to hit a lower price point.

• The two models will have the same general form factor as today’s iPhone 5. This allows Apple to get more mileage out of current parts, assembly process and supply chain. It also avoids ticking off their partners who build cases, docks, and other accessories which assume a certain form factor.

• The higher end iPhone 5S will have a faster processor and storage of up to 128 GB (up from the 64 GB of the iPhone 5). It will come in today’s black and white/silver, and also a new white/gold. There are rumors of a thumbprint reader on the home button.

• The iPhone 5C will likely be available in 16 GB and 32 GB models, and will come in colored plastic shells. Red, Yellow and Blue shells are expected. Black and/or White shells also possible. The screen size will be the same as the 5S, but overall dimensions might be just slightly larger than the 5S because of the plastic case.

Photo credit 9to5mac

• Today’s iPhone 5 will continue to be available, perhaps as the lowest end model with limited storage, or perhaps as a mid range phone cheaper than the 5S and more expensive than the 5C.

• We should see discontinuation of all past models other than iPhone 5. This allows Apple to have a standard device form factor, screen size and resolution, and standardizes on the Lightning connector, putting the old dock connector out to pasture.

Other than that, we'll see and hear a lot more about iOS 7 at the September 10th event. We won't hear anything about iPads or MacBooks, and we certainly won't see an iWatch, a new AppleTV or the mythical Apple Television (yet).

Links:

• http://techcrunch.com/tag/apple/
• http://www.engadget.com/tag/Apple/
• http://www.macrumors.com
• http://www.maccast.com
• http://twit.tv/2013/09/05/apple-iphone-event-coverage-tues-910
• http://appleinsider.com

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