With iOS 6 out for a few months and iOS 6.1 right around the corner, many are already wondering where Apple might next take its mobile operating system. After a few releases with little user interface changes, it is plausible that Apple may be working on quite a lot of changes for its upcoming release, iOS 7.
Everyone loves an iPhone mockup, and we're no different. Say hello to the iPhone mini. Apple is never far from the news cycle. Usually it's around iPhone release time that we begin to really see rumors, with iPad launch time equally as busy. Round around now we would normally be hearing about what may or may not be in the next iPad, but the recently updated iPad 4 makes a refresh unlikely just yet. Instead, we're being inundated with iPhone mini rumors.
Considering the iPhone 5 was launched all the way back in September, I don't think it's unreasonable we begin talking about its eventual successor. The analysts certainly don't mind, having speculated about the "iPhone 5S" for at least a month now, and one such analyst - Peter Misek of Jefferies - has been at the heart of it. Today, he's chimed into the argument once more, noting to investors that two iPhone prototypes are currently being tested by the Cupertino company.
Another day, another Apple patent story, but this time there's no sign of Samsung, Motorola or Google. Surely that cannot be? Yes, yes it can, actually. Wonders never cease!
Before any new iOS release makes its way to your treasured iPhone, iPad or iPod touch device, it goes through a series of dev-only betas, and although the current latest release is either 6.0.1 or 6.0.2 depending on the age of your device, the release of iOS 6.1 has been looming for months. Now, it would appear as though Apple at internal testing stage of a new iOS 6.1 beta, which looks as though it'll serve as the Golden Master build. The Golden Master, or GM build, presents the software in its complete, end-user state (barring any significant bugs), and suggests the public release of iOS 6.1 may not be too far away now.
Apple's decision to refresh its iPad range twice last year was met with a mixed response, and while some naturally welcomed the decision of Apple to introduce the iPad 4 a mere seven months following the emergence of the iPad 3, owners of the latter were naturally disgruntled. Alongside the iPad 4 came the iPad mini, and once again, the general response was mixed, with many pointing to the lack of a Retina display and high cost as fundamental flaws. Now, it has emerged that Apple plans to bring yet another upgrade as early as March, and while the larger iPad should be a little less, well, large, the mini is widely-presumed to be getting a Retina display.
For the last few years, a common story in the rumor mill has been a possible lower-cost iPhone in order to serve customers who are not able to put down hundreds of dollars on the current standard-range one. While this story has been one and off over the last 4 years, there is a new report that suggests that Apple is beginning to take this possibility quite seriously.
Speculation has been mounting over the last few weeks about the possible release date, aesthetics and technical specifications of the next-generation iPhone. Apple will be delighted with the fact that the iPhone 5 proved to be an extremely popular purchase during the festive season, with some analysts predicting that sales will ultimately surpass the company's top-end predictions. To add to the speculation; new reports are now suggesting that Apple could be planning on pushing out a new iPhone by June of this year, potentially with high-end and low-end model releases.
Even though the iPhone 5 has only hit shelves a few months ago, Apple is for sure already looking a few generations ahead and getting ready to introduce the next iPhone model. We likely won’t hear a word from the Cupertino company for some long months, but it’s never too soon to start speculating.
The beginning of any new year always brings with it a renewed sense of purpose in the technology industry, with excitable consumers impatiently waiting to see what their favorite companies will release into the wild. As always, we are expecting a lot of speculation and analysis to be lavished on Apple's Cupertino campus once again this year, and although the obligatory iPhone and iPad refresh will come at some point, speculation surrounding Apple's potential release of a streaming music type service is mounting.
