Turns out that making smartphones is hard, and although the folks at Foxconn are actually rather good at doing just that, there's always room for extra improvement. Whether that improvement comes in any form, Foxconn is apparently set to augment its existing workforce with 10,000 new additions.
The iPhone 6 is coming, and boy do we know about it. We are currently sitting right at the peak of the speculation and concept stage of the annual release cycle, meaning that each day we can look forward to a new influx of best and educated guesses pertaining to potential device specifications as well as new concept art. There will undoubtedly be an exception to that at some point but today is not that day. Following hot on the heels of yesterday's beautiful iPhone 6 renders from Mark Pelin, we are now seeing a new - albeit very similar - set shown off in multiple colors.
It's widely suspected that Apple will release a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 later on this year, and may also announce a 5.5-inch model that will probably roll out slightly later thanks to manufacturing delays. Today, a video comparing the front panel of the 4.7-inch variant with the current iPhone 5s has been released, offering a rough idea of how said device might look to hold.
The growing list of "iPhone 6" leaked visuals, components and schematics seem to be never-ending at the moment. Rarely does a day go by at the moment without someone claiming to have inside knowledge of Apple's supply chain through which they have extracted the exact design and visuals of the next-generation iPhone. Rarely do these predictions turn out to be true. Still, the annual pre-release dance is always entertaining, bringing with it some beautiful looking concepts and renders from some of the Internet's best designers. The latest visuals, and perhaps the most convincing and aesthetically pleasing yet, come from designer Mark Pelin and aim to incorporate all of the most reputable leaks into one single artist's impression.
Traditionally, iPhone launches had seen rather tight-lipped release scenarios with barely any information leaking out ahead of the official unveiling. All of that has completely changed over the course of last few weeks, with iPhone 6 information leaks running abundant and abound the Internet with almost no checks whatsoever.
We've already amassed a pretty compelling pile of evidence regarding the iPhone 6, and even though Apple looks set to improve almost every aspect of the device's internal and external hardware, it'll still apparently be thinner than the current iPhone 5s. In fact, from what we've been hearing, the handset will be the slimmest that Apple has ever released, but while the company is said to be incorporating a new type of backlight system to facilitate this svelte form factor, it may apparently cause yield issues.
iPhone 6 mockups have been fairly ubiquitous over the past few months, with practically anybody in ownership of a 3D printer able to own a replica of Apple's upcoming device. But with the manufacturing process set to be commencing imminently, we're now starting to see some legitimate leaks of the actual housing for the Cupertino's next smartphone, and thanks to a new video, you can take a closer look at the outer shell of the iPhone 6.
Reports, leaks and speculation pertaining to the next-generation iPhone are starting to come through thick and fast now. In the last 24-hours we've heard that Apple could be planning on differentiating between the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models by integrating InvenSense optical image stabilization technology into the latter, but not the former. We've also heard rumors suggesting that both iPhone models will be offered with 32GB and 64GB variants, suggesting that the entry-level 16GB option could be relegated to history. Following on from that, a Chinese report is now citing sources that suggests that the larger 5.5-inch model could make iPhone history by being the first model to be offered with a 128GB internal storage option.
It's generally accepted that Apple's next-generation iPhone will ultimately be offered in two different sizes. A number of leaks have all but confirmed that the Cupertino company is working on a 4.7-inch smartphone as well as 5.5-inch model with a release cycle that could potentially be staggered. The latest question being posed by concerned potential consumers is whether or not the two models will offer the same functionality, differing only in physical size. If the latest predictions by Pacific West Securities is anything to go by then it could be the built-in camera modules that offer up the difference.
The iPhone 6 is, according to reports, primed and ready to go into mass production from next month, with Foxconn once again having been tasked with assembling the vast majority of those initial units. As far as we know, the handset will take on a curved form factor akin to the iPad Air, and although we can never be 100 percent certain given Apple's stringent veil of secrecy over the entire design and production progress, the sheer volume of leaks draw an almost irrefutable conclusion. Today, a new leak has surfaced that ties in nicely with everything we've heard, and notably, offers the best look at the forthcoming iPhone that we've clapped eyes on to date.
