A mock up of the much awaited iWatch which will be unveiled at the September 9th Apple event
As some of you may already know, Apple is holding a huge media event on September 9th, and it is suspected by everyone in the Macrumors community and beyond that the latest iPhone 6 will be released along with a new iWatch.
The iWatch is a concept that Apple has been talking about for a while and intends to be a wearable technology that will serve as an all-in-one multipurpose device. Let's face it, who wants a single purpose device like a watch when you can have your music, fitness stats, and the weather at your fingertips.
Admittedly, Apple already has a wearable: the iPod nano watch. But, we can always count on Apple to hype incremental innovations. Little is known about the specs for the iWatch release other than it will have all the functionality of an iPod nano plus fitness apps and home automation tools (if you live in a smart-home). The iWatch is also supposed to fully synchronize with the new iPhone; I can just picture the latest early-adopters sitting in Starbucks, wearing their iWatch, with their iPhone sitting beside their Air Mac, with an iPad sticking out of their briefcase.
Back of the expected iPhone 6 case, as per leaked parts from Feld & Volk (via macrumors)
While reports on the new iWatch are sparse, there are reported part leaks which are giving a very clear indication of what to expect from the iPhone 6 release; if the rumors are true.
One company in particular, Feld & Volk, has actually pieced together their very own iPhone 6 from components they sourced from some top-secret manufacturers. They are supposedly trying to create a 'luxury' version of the iPhone 6 for their consumers, but really they are capitalizing on the nail-bitting release of new phone and pissing off Apple. Oh yeah, you'd better believe rumors state that Feld & Volk have already received a cease and desist order from Apple, but it hasn't seemed to deter them.
If anything, this reaction may prompt that there is credence in these reported part leaks for the Apple iPhone 6. Either way, September 9th is days away and time will surely tell. At this point, I don't think they could not release the latest iPhone specs without receiving major disappointment and a drop in their brands 'cool factor'.
The most noteworthy updates which are expected from the iPhone 6 include a bigger screen size (reportedly 4.7” x 5.5”), a faster processor (A8 chip), a sapphire crystal screen, a better camera, and a NFC chip. Apple is also reportedly going to release a 5.5” iPhone 6 phone as well, but details on this are less clear.
While rumors have been less than decisive on whether or not a NFC chip will be including in this new iPhone generation, Feld & Volk have reportedly sourced the boards for the iPhone 6, which includes an NFC chip from NXP. This could just be hype, but with Apple scanning the market, they may throw this in just for good measure. Why not? They already have a fingerprint reader, everything else is extra pazzaz.
The picture above features the shell of the new iPhone 6, which gives a clear idea of size along with different button sizes. Essentially, it is keeping the same buttons, but they have been streamlined a bit. Most probably the design has changed to compete and assimilate the latest HTC One phone release.
The Apple iPhone 6 sapphire screen also has yet to be confirmed. While some have reported to source Apple's parts, others have tested the sourced screen and are doubtful that the screen is actually made of sapphire crystal. Whatever it is made out of, it is definitely stronger and more scratch resistant than the previous iPhone release models. And let's face it. We all know what iPhones are actually made out of: magic.
There is currently much debate and little known about the camera changes in the iPhone 6. It is suspected that they may continue to use the 8-megapixel camera used in the previous generations, but add on Optical Image Stabilization. Another rumor is that they may use a 13-megapixel camera sensor from Sony. For the nitty gritty on all of the rumored tech specs and designs, stay tuned!