Apple’s impending launch of its latest iPhone design is set to be the company’s largest ever launch. The Financial Times has called it the “mother of all product launches” and expects the model to rack up nearly $30 billion in sales in the last three months of this year.
Reports are referring to the latest Apple handset as the iPhone 5. It is possible that Apple could name the device like it did the new iPad and simply call it the new iPhone. This seems unlikely, as Apple has already filed a complaint over the ownership of the iPhone5.com URL.
(Above, image courtesy of newiphone5release.org)
Handset blog Know Your Mobile has cited a 'reliable industry source' suggesting that Apple will hold a special keynote speech on 7th August. This will officially confirm the hotly anticipated iPhone 5 release date. Other reports claim that Apple has brought the unveiling of its next-generation handset forward to September in order to suppress the growth of the rival Android powered Samsung Galaxy S3.
And what will the new handset offer? The new nano-sim design was approved on June 1st this year by ETSI (the European Standards body). This is 40% smaller than the micro-sim already used in smartphones like the iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Nokia Lumia range. We can expect Apple to be one of the first big manufacturers incorporating the nano-sim into their new handset.
The iPhone 5 is rumoured to have a larger 4.08- inch display, while other reports suggest that the handset will be longer and thinner. However, Apple has upheld that the width of previous handsets is to enable one- handed texting and browsing. So perhaps Apple will preserve the width of the iPhone 5? T3, amongst other technology publications, has also reported the 30-pin connector dock which Apple have maintained since the 3rd generation iPod in 2003, will be replaced with a 19-pin mini port. This means that case manufacturers in particular will be waiting with baited breath to find out the new port sizes and locations, hoping to be first to market in supporting the new design. Supposed ‘leaked’ images also suggest that the colour will be different, offering a two- tone colour scheme.
The new handset is also expected to include 4G mobile broadband, which at present, will only offer compatibility with American networks.