iPhone 6 Weekly Rumor Roundup

iPhone 6 Weekly Rumor Roundup

'Tis the season for Apple iPhone rumors! Starting now and lasting until Apple unveils their newest iPhone, eTech Parts will be posting rumor mill roundups to keep the Repair Community in the loop! Stay up to date with the latest rumors, compiled only from the most reliable sources in the technology industry.  

Release Date

We can nearly guarantee the phone will be released sometime in September, with various sources throwing around a couple different dates. According to iMore, if Apple were to keep up with the pattern they’ve set for releasing the previous two iPhones, the iPhone 6 would be released on or around September 9, 2014 with a release date of September 19, 2014. However, Apple doesn’t always hold to patterns – you know they like to keep us guessing. Most sources agree with the September 19 release date, but of course we won’t know for sure until Apple tells us. Some speculations suggest a separate release date for the two devices, with the larger model arriving later in the Fall of this year.    

Rumored Design Specs

Apple will likely release two iPhone models: a 4.7” model and a 5.7” (or 5.5”) model. Some speculators believe they will be released at the same time, while others believe the larger of the two devices will be released later this year. Will the next generation iPhone leave users satisfied or clinging to outlets as depicted in Samsung’s latest Apple-bashing ad? According to an article from Modmyi.com on Monday, July 7, the rumored 4.7” iPhone will feature a “battery sized somewhere between 1800 and 1900mAh.” The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c both feature a 1570mAh battery so the boost should increase battery life by about 15%, depending on certain features of the phone (such as screen size). The larger 5.7" iPhone model is rumored to have a 2500mAh battery. Sonny Dickson is at it again, this time with leaked video footage of a supposed iPhone 6 front panel withstanding a quick bending stress test. Though the title of the video mentions sapphire, there doesn’t seem to be any confirmation that the screen is created with sapphire. https://youtu.be/xDUeoGErJOs Apple has increased its production of synthetic sapphire glass, leading many rumor mongers to believe Apple intends to use a great deal of sapphire in the next iPhone(s). This would likely increase the price of an iPhone by about $100. My guess is this calculated increase in sapphire production has to do with the iWatch, which is rumored to release this October or November. But this is just another speculation in the rumor mill.     Lots of leaked photos suggest the next iPhone could mimic the slim design of the latest generation iPod Touch. This could spell trouble for the device’s level of repairability, with lots of soldered parts and extremely fragile components (similar to the iPod Touch 5^th gen repair).

iPhone 6? iPhone Air?

The next iPhone is currently being referred to as “iPhone 6,” though word on the street says the 5.7" model might take after the latest iPad and go by the name “iPhone Air.” Or it could be called something completely different. Who knows? Apple does what Apple wants.  

iWatch?

The iWatch, if it is to be released this year, probably won’t be announced until after the iPhone 6 is announced. I expect the iWatch to be revealed sometime in October or November, and be released in time for Christmas. Similar to last year’s iPad Air reveal on October 22, the iPad went on sale on November 1 in time for pre-ordered devices to arrive by Christmas.  

Let’s talk repairability…

All this talk of sapphire glass production has tech journalists talking about an “unbreakable display” for the next generation iPhone. This is doubtful, as Apple has never created devices with durability in mind. Maybe they’ll change their tune and create a “harder to break” device instead of one “harder to repair,” but only time will tell. We’re sure they’ll have a teardown and repairability score ready in time for the device’s release.   Thanks for reading and let us know in the comments below what YOU want to see in the next generation iPhone. Personally, I hope the next iPhone features much better battery life and NFC -- or wireless -- charging, simply because us "wall huggers" are tired of poor battery life. Wireless charging would greatly reduce many of the issues iPhone users have with the iPhone. But only time will tell -- let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to join the conversation over on Facebook!