While little is truly known about the iPhone 5, most fans expect Apple’s next-generation smartphone to be revolutionary. Even game-changing/ all-powerful. But, since Apple keeps stays strictly confidential about the unveiling, the best I can do is follow the rumor mill and try to separate fact from fiction. In this article, I will round up everything I know about the iPhone 5– from the release date, to the phone’s form factor and design, to it’s software features– and try to give you a picture of what to expect from the iPhone 5 later on this year.

Release Date: Early this month, Reuters reported that Apple has plans to unveil the new iPhone “around the second quarter” of 2012. This latest report contradicted an earlier report from Japanese blog Macotakara, which believed, citing inside sources from the company’s supply chain, Apple would release the iPhone 5 in September or October, effectively abandoning mid-year iPhone launches for a 11-month upgrade cycle starting in the fall. Apple’s last iPhone, the iPhone 4s, was the first Apple smartphone released outside the summer months; the original iPhone, as well as the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4, were all released in either June or July. While there is no clear reason why the 4s was the only iPhone released in the fall, analysts believe the Cupertino-based company attempted to implement LTE into the phone, and failed. Now, it would seem the company will wait a full year until its next iPhone.
Design and Form Factor: On March 21, Apple had reportedly ordered 4.6 inch screens, to be featured in the company’s next iPhone. The report came from a South Korean Publication. Two days later, a new report from iMore’s editor-in-chief Rene Ritchie stated the iPhone 5 retains the current 3.5 inch screen– the same size as all previous generation iPhones– but Apple added a few new features, which are unknown.
Features 4G LTE: Long-Term Evolution is a foregone conclusion for the iPhone 5, given that Apple introduced the high-speed network on it’s new iPad, released on March 16. LTE features significantly higher download and upload speeds compared to 3G technologies, but previous implementations of LTE in smartphones tended to ravage battery life, which was a major complaint from users. If Apple wanted LTE in the iPhone 4s at the time, it would have been forced to increase the phone’s thickness to accommodate a larger circuit board and a bigger battery.
New Patents: Apple’s next iPhone may also include a number of the company’s recently granted patents. Apple won a major patent on March 6 for a piece of technology called “iWallet” which is a digital system that gives users complete control over their subsidiary financial accounts on their iPhones, and also leverages Near-field Communication (NFC) technology to complete credit card transactions directly on the phone as well. The iPhone might also be the first phone to feature a new piece of software for multi-player gaming.

Thanks for reading,

Dillon