Welcome to our iPhone 6 release date, rumours and leaked images article, here we plan to do everything that the title suggests. We are going to bring you everything we know about the new iPhone 6 release date so you can know exactly when the new iPhone 6 is coming out. Updated 20 June 2013
Also we are going to bring you a few of the juiciest spec rumours that are flying round the web's most trusted iPhone websites too. Finally, we've got some iPhone images that we'd like to show you. So sit back and relax: we've got the new iPhone 6 covered.
As this is Apple, the iPhone 6 is not officially announced yet. But Apple is not as secure as it'd like to be, and there are many juicy iPhone 6 rumours floating around, and some of the iPhone leaks in the past have turned out to be fairly accurate.
(Like this iPhone front panel we saw before the last iPhone launch)
Having said that, a lot of iPhone 6 rumours turn out to be Chinese whispers or plain attempts to test people's gullibility.
SEE: Should I buy an iPhone 5 or wait for iPhone 5S, iPhone 6?
New iPhone 6 release date
iPhone 6 will arrive in late summer
Reports and leaked components in May hinted that Apple's next iPhone may arrive in late summer.
Apple is said to have given Sharp the contract to produce the LCD panels for the next iPhone, and a report from a Japanese newspaper says production will begin in June ahead of an August launch.
iPhone 6 will arrive in October 2013
The second theory is that Apple will stick to its late-season launch and the iPhone 6 release date will be October 2013. This is what we'd currently bet on, although the amount of iPhone 6 rumours and iPhone 6 image leaks in the run-up to June may change the situation.
In March, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said that the new iPhone has been delayed from its June or July launch to a September launch due to supplier issues with new colour cases (see iPhone 6 to have eight colour options rumour below).
We think a September or October launch is likely, because Apple has said that iOS 7 will be coming in autumn. We presume that the rollout will come alongside a new iPhone model, based on iPhone launches in the past.
We think that an autumn launch for the new iPhone is the most likely, especially since CEO Tim Cook hinted in April that the company is working on "amazing" new products for an autumn launch.
In April, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak said that he believes Apple is working on "new products that will surprise and shock us all."
However, one report suggests that the iPhone 6 won't launch until 2014.
iPhone 6 rumours
There are a lot of iPhone 6 rumours around, but because it is so close from the launch of the iPhone 5 it is hard to distinguish what is a specific iPhone 6 rumour, from general Apple iPhone rumours. Some rumours that were attached to the iPhone 5 are now being incorporated into the iPhone 6.
SEE: iPhone 6 rumour rollup: Release date, screen size and speculation
AND: iPhone 6 rumour rollup: What's in a name?
AND: iPhone 6 rumour rollup: Being built in Apple factories, release date this summer
AND: iPhone 6 rumour rollup: Tim Cook's comments, WiFi location tracking, camera, SIM tray
AND: iPhone 6 rumour rollup: iPhone delays derail 4G rollouts, flexible Gorillas, rainbow phone
iPhone 6 to have multiple colour options and screen sizes
Apple's iPhone 6 could be available in three different sizes, with up to eight different colour options, an analyst has predicted.
Topeka Capital analyst Brian White said that Apple wants to introduce new colours and sizes in order to give its customers more choice with the same high quality, in order to further expand its market share in the smartphone world.
A previous report from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also suggested that Apple would be introducing the iPhone 6 in six to eight colours, with what he calls a 'Retina+ display, NFC, and 128GB of storage.
An Apple job listing spotted in March has also added evidence to the theory that Apple will launch the iPhone 6 in multiple colours. Apple is searching for an Anodizing Engineer to join the Manufacturing Design team to help create the next-generation Apple products.
In April, a photograph of a SIM tray that allegedly belongs to the iPhone 6 was leaked online, also hinting that there could be more colour options for the next iPhone. Another similar component was shown in leaked photographs in May, followed by another leak in June.
See also: New iPhone: three colours, two sizes and a low-cost model
The iPhone 6 will have a Smart Home Button that is oblong-shaped and touch-capacitive
This one's been around since forever (well, early 2011 at least). One iPhone 6 rumour suggests that Jony Ive (or Sir Jonathan Ive as he's now formally known) is ready to introduce a wider oblong home button that will be touch-capacitive. The iPhone 6 Home Button will not just push to return to the Home Screen, but you'll be able to swipe your finger left and right over it (we presume to move left and right between Apps, like the four-finger Multi-Touch gesture that you find on the iPad).
This iPhone 6 rumour has some basis in fact, and we believe Apple has at least been experimenting with this idea (we have been reporting on it for a while).
The iPhone 6 will launch alongside an 'iPhone Math' with 4.8in display
Apple could be working on three new iPhones for launch this year, including the iPhone 6, an iPhone with a 12-megapixel camera, and a bigger, 4.8in iPhone which the latest rumours are calling the 'iPhone math'.
While we're rather dubious about the name, it is possible that Apple is thinking about launching an iPhone with a bigger display in order to compete with rival 'phablet' devices such as Samsung's Galaxy Note.
In May, Tim Cook said during the D11 conference in May that Apple may sell multiple iPhone models in the future, but only when tradeoffs can be met, and if people really want them.
SEE: Why Apple should sidestep the 'phablet'
We think the iPhone 6 will have the same size screen as the iPhone 5, and that theory is backed up by the new in-store screen machines that Apple has invested in.
iPhone 6 will have NFC
A patent published by the US Patent & Trademark Office suggested that Near Field Communication (NFC) technology could arrive with the next-generation iPhone. The patent describes an iWallet transaction system that could work with the technology.
The US Patent and Trademark published another new Apple NFC technology patent application in May, covering a range of features including a new focus on methods and systems for establishing an NFC session with an electronic device.
SEE: Google Wallet chief's resignation another bad sign for NFC
AND: PayPal says it's time to ditch passwords and PINs, and Apple may lead the way with iPhone 6
The iPhone 6 will have a built-in fingerprint sensor
Trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities has predicted that Apple's next iPhone will have largely the same chassis as the iPhone 5, with the only difference to the body of the device expected to be a fingerprint sensor that is built-in to the home button.
The rumoured iPhone 6 fingerprint sensor could spell trouble for competitors though, says Kuo, who believes that rivals will have more difficulty than Apple when it comes to introducing a fingerprint sensor to their Android and Windows Phone devices, because many have more than one button below the display. This means fingerprint scanners in iPhone rivals would be less intutitive for the user, and could cause frustration, Kuo added.
In March, it was reported that Taiwanese chip maker Chipbond could be providing Apple with components for its next-generation iPhone, including parts that would be used to introduce a fingerprint sensor and near field communications (NFC) features to the upcoming iPhone.
Unfortuntately, this fingerprint sensor could cause some delays for Apple's next iPhone, says Kuo, who thinks that the device may arrive later than expected due to development issues surrounding the new technology.
In May, the chief information security officer at PayPal Michael Barrett claimed that Apple intents to incorporate a fingerprint reader in the new iPhone.
SEE: Apple job advert gives clues about iPhone 6 fingerprint sensor
iPhone 6 will have camera improvements
Four Apple patent filings published in April hint that Apple is working to improve the quality of the camera it uses in its iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices.
Earlier in April, a report suggested that Apple's next iPhone will boast a 12-megapixel camera with improved low-light shooting and a HDR setting.
Apple's iOS 7, which was unveiled at WWDC on 10 June, will bring camera improvements to the iPhone. The Camera and Photos apps have been redesigned, and there are new filters, a square camera mode, and a new Moments feature to help organise images.
The iPhone 6 will be an iPhone 5S
One iPhone 6 rumour is that it will be an iPhone 5S and actually be a pretty small update. Visually it will be identical to the iPhone 5, with its larger 4in display, Lightning port and thinner case.
Since the iPhone 3G, Apple has consistently launched a model one year, then the same model but upgraded next year with the 'S' for 'Speed' moniker. So it seems a good bet that the iPhone 6 will be an iPhone 5S with the same case.
Some analysts, like Paul Brown at Strategy Analytics seems to think so: "On the back of a lack of recent innovation from Apple and negative press, we are starting see growth in the number of previously highly-loyal customers who are considering whether or not they will purchase a new iPhone for their next device."
This does seem to overlook the fact that Apple will almost certainly introduce new iOS 6 features in the iPhone 6 along with faster internal components, even if it does have the same external case.
SEE: iPhone naming convention 'sends a weak message' - former Apple consultant
SEE: iPhone 5S and 'iPhablet' could help Apple shares recover, say analysts
Will the iPhone 6 use sonar for face detection and 3D modelling?
Analysis of recent Apple patent activity has got our minds whirring. It seems Apple plans to build audio detection into the screens of some of its future devices, which may include the iPhone 6, and has also patented a system for using sonar for proximity detection.
SEE ALSO: Future iPhones may smell, taste, and touch (as well as see and hear)
An Apple patent has hinted at an advanced camera that uses depth perception technology to capture better photographs could be on its way with the next iPhone too.
SEE: iPhone 6 rumour rollup: digital pens, 3D augmented reality and a 'killer feature'
iPhone 6 rumour: Smart Bezel
Apple has taken out several patents on a Smart Bezel (the plastic front surrounding the screen). In other words the Bezel will be able to display information as well as the screen. We've reported on the iPhone 6 Smart Bezel a few times, and Patently Apple, the source of many an Apple rumour has this article on the latest Apple patent on a Smart Bezel.
In Apple's own words: "The primary display could be used to convey visual content to a user, and the secondary display could be used to guide a user providing inputs to the device. For example, the secondary display could be selectively illuminated to provide one or more indicators that represent where or how a user can provide inputs to the device."
What kind of level of information the Smart Bezel could display is up for debate. It certainly wouldn't be a 'screen extension', more like flashing buttons and symbols. This could guide users to tap parts of the screen, or indiciate new messages and suchlike.
The iPhone 6 will have an A6X processor
Apple traditionally updates the iPhone with a new internal procoessor. The iPhone currently has a A6 processor, while the latest iPad has an A6X. That seems like a fair candidate for the next generation of iPhone CPU. The A6X is a dual-core CPU with a quad-core GPU. Veruss the A6 which is a dual-core CPU with three graphics cores.
Giving an additional graphics core to the iPhone might not make much difference to performance, however (it's required on the iPad to power the Retina Display).
iPhone 6 will have A7 quad-core processor
The iPhone is typically ahead of the curve when it comes to performance. And Apple could skip the dual-core A6X and go straight to the A7, which would possibly be quad-core CPU and quad-core graphics.
Of course, given Apple's track record this would only happen if the A7 processor did not impinge on heat dissapation, battery life, or device bulk (all of which Apple is fanatical about).
But let's assume it can. What would the iPhone do with all this power? Aside from more powerful games, it could be used to power more iOS features, although everybody seems to struggle with ideas for what.
Although these guys over at Hot Hardware seem to think an iPhone 6 with quad-core A7 processor a bad idea, suggesting that virtually all phone software outside of Nvidia Tegra games, is designed for two-cores. So what's the point?
Check out the image further down the page for further evidence to support this theory.
iPhone 6 TD-LTE for China Mobile
Apple is rumoured to be either integrating TD-LTE technology, or working on a separate iPhone model for China Mobile. China's biggest mobile phone network doesn't support the current mobile technology in the iPhone, and getting the iPhone onto China Mobile would enable Apple to get vastly bigger global market-share for the iPhone.
iPhone 6 'could have flexible screen'
Apple's iPhone 6 may have a bendy, flexible display and body, if recent tech innovations and patent activity are any indicator.
Apple's patents indicate that the company is exploring legal safeguards for a flexible design, but it looks like Samsung has pipped it to the post, showing off its flexible smartphone displays during the 2013 CES in Las Vegas in January.
An Apple patent filing and job listing in April also hinted at a flexible future for the iPhone.
SEE: Flexible-display smartphones just a 'novelty'... for now
AND: Patents reveal Apple is exploring curved and 'non-rectangular' batteries for future devices
iPhone 6 will have tougher Gorilla Glass 3 display
Corning has developed a new version of its Gorilla Glass for smartphones and tablets that it says will result in 40 per cent fewer scratches and appear in devices later this year, probably including Apple's iPhone 6, as well as the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2.
See: Glass smartphones coming this year, says Taiwanese firm
Apple will ditch Gorilla Glass in favour of sapphire crystal for iPhone 6
Apple could be considering a shift from Corning's Gorilla Glass to sapphire crystal for its future phones, a crack and scratch-proof material that Apple already uses for its iSight camera. Sapphire crystal's strength is beaten only by diamonds aon the scale of transparent materials.
iPhone 6 to have new 'touch-on' display following iPhone 5 in-cell problems
Apple may have introduced a new 'in-cell' display with its iPhone 5 as recently as December, but new reports suggest that problems with the technology have led Apple to consider using anew 'touch-on' display in the next generation iPhone.
iPhone 6 could use TSMC to boost performance and reduce power consumption
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is developing a 16nm process that Apple may adopt for future iPad and iPhone chips. The process could boost performance and reduce power consumption in the iPhone 6 and other Apple products.
SEE: iPhone 6 rumour rolliup for the week ending 1 February
iPhone 6 to have 5G WiFi chip
News that Samsung's Galaxy S4 may support 802.11ac, also known as '5G WiFi', has led tospeculation that Apple's iPhone 6 could support the standard as well.
iPhone 6 could read your mind
In February, an Apple patent application was published, describing a system that would allow an iPhone to automatically switch modes by anticipating your needs. Read more here.
iPhone 6 could have wireless charging capabilities
Apple could be planning to introduce wireless charging to its iPhone 6, following in the footsteps of Nokia, LG and HTC.
SEE: Apple launches "Why iPhone" page to remind customers why iPhone is best
Samsung launched its Galaxy S4 in March, which is expected to be the iPhone 6's biggest rival. Samsung's new flagship smartphone has many new features such as eye-tracking, but some analysts question whether some of those features will be used, or whether they will overwhelm some customers. SEE: Apple's new iPhone to have 'killer feature' that Samsung's Galaxy S4 lacks
SEE: Galaxy S4 would be the ultimate iPhone, says analyst
AND: Reactions and reflections: Should Apple be scared of Samsung's Galaxy S4?
iPhone 6 to run iOS 7
Apple's all-new iOS 7 was shown off at WWDC 2013 in June. It has been given a complete redesign and some new features, including an iRadio music streaming service, and Apple has said that it will arrive this autumn, probably with the iPhone 6 itself. SEE: What does iOS 7 tell us about iPhone 5S, iPhone 6?
You can find out more about iOS 7 by following these links:
Apple iOS 7 announced at WWDC 2013
Apple announces iTunes Radio music streaming service
Will I be able to update to iOS 7 on my iPhone?
iOS 7 vs Android: How Apple's new features stack up
Siri gets smarter in iOS 7, ditches Google for search
How to update your iPhone or iPad to Apple iOS 7
Apple iOS 7 preview and first impressions
27 new iOS 7 features you might have missed
Apple iOS 7: Everything you need to know
What people love about Apple iOS 7: review of reviews
What people hate about Apple iOS 7: review of reviews
iPhone 6 leaked images and concept art
There are few iPhone 6 leaked images, most leaked images seem to refer to earlier iPhone 5 models. These could be iPhone 6 prototype designs (Apple typically works several years, and iterations ahead) or they could be iPhone 5 designs that didn't make the grade.
'First claimed photos' of iPhone 6 rear casing
A parts company has posted photos of what it's calling the iPhone 5S, supposedly snapped on an assembly line. They suggest that the iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S will have roughly the same firm factor as the iPhone 5, but has some minor changes to the internal layout - so the components and screen could be due a modification or two.
Check out the 'iPhone 6 photos' here.
iPhone 5S motherboard with quad-core A7 chip leaked
On 19 February, photographs were leaked online that appear to show the motherboard of Apple's next-generation iPhone, including a quad-core Apple A7 chip and 2GB of RAM.
In January, photographs of alleged leaked iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 parts surfaced, suggesting that Apple is working on two new iPhones for launch this year.
Following the unveiling of iOS 7, ADR Studio came up with a new iPhone 6 concept based on the redesigned user interface, as shown below:
In early April, photos of an alleged iPhone 6 prototype emerged, showing what appears to be an iPhone with an edge-to-edge curved display and no home button.
In May, a new iPhone 6 concept video was created to show what a waterproof iPhone with wireless charging and touch sensitive buttons might look like:
In April, a concept of the rumoured Apple iPhone 6 showed a radical curved screen design:
Russian site AppleInsider.ru offers up a "hands-on" demo of the iPhone 6 via the video shown below:
Designer Arthur Reis created these 3D renderings in March, showing an ultra-thin design with 'touch anywhere' Home button and 'iSight Pro' camera.
Toronto-based 3D designer Peter Zigich has published concept images based on the rumours that Apple could be preparing to launch three new iPhones this year. The image shows an iPhone mini, iPhone 6 and iPhablet with home buttons on the side to allow more room for the display or reduce the overall size of the device.
In early March, designer Martin Hajek created new 3D renders of a possible iPhone 6 and 4.8in iPhone with edge-to-edge screens and a trackpad-like Home button, as shown below.
This Yanko design displays what the iPhone 6 could look like if it includes LiquidMetal casing
The artist at CiccareseDesign has come up with the 3D concept design below, based on an alleged test prototype with a similar shape to the latest iPod nano.
This article will be updated as more iPhone 6 or IPhone 5S information, rumours, and leaked pictures as they become available.
See also:
Apple CEO Tim Cook says nothing, but reveals plenty
Cheaper iPhone mini, release date, rumours and leaked image
Apple rumour round-up: iPhone 6, Apple Television, new MacBooks, iPad mini 2, iOS 7
New Mac Pro, iPhone 6, Retina iPad mini 2 most wanted Apple products for 2013
The sad state of Apple rumours
Apple's Cook resets 3 popular, and wrong, Apple rumours
Tim Cook says competition is "tough", but Apple's products are still the "best by far"
Tim Cook: Apple won't launch bigger iPhone until trade-offs can be avoided'
http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipad-iphone/news/?newsid=3414914&olo=rss