As September quickly approaches, iPhone 6s rumors swirl and grow ever-more grandiose. After WWDC in June, with its focus on the new iOS 9 and watchOS 2 software, chatter quickly moved to talk of what to expect from the upcoming iPhones. This is an 's' year, which usually brings mainly internal changes, such as the addition of an A9 chip and Force Touch, but we may also see some cosmetic changes, such as the addition of rose gold as a color option. So, which rumors are likely to be most accurate?
Force Touch.
This feature seems nearly guaranteed. In the works for awhile now, and already running on the Apple Watch, Force Touch allows the device to differentiate between a light tap and firmer pressure. This will ensure more accurate precision, offer additional navigation, and change touchscreen drawing, game play, and more. Not convinced? Check out this video of a leaked model, showing the internal hardware comparison between the iPhone 6 and unreleased iPhone 6s.
Thicker, Wider, Taller.
Apple has no desire to see a repeat of last year's #bendgate. In addition to expanding the iPhone 6s body by 1.3–1.6mm adjustment to provide internal space for Force Touch, Apple is expected to upgrade the body to the same 7000 series aluminum used in the Apple Watch, which is 60 times stronger than the aluminum used in previous models. Leaked iPhone 6s hardware pictures show Apple has given special attention to the hinge, or volume button, where the iPhone 6 was most vulnerable to bending. The size of the screens, for both the 6s and the 6s Plus are expected to stay the same at 4.7 and 5.5 inches.
Up to Speed.
Apple is the odd company out when it comes to RAM power. Currently supported by A8, dual core processor with 1.4GHz and 1 GB RAM, Apple's iPhone is behind the Android on power (although not efficiency), and it appears 2015 is the year to catch up. With a processor built by Samsung, the A9 upgrade and 2 GB RAM addition means a huge performance boost— a necessary addition for iOS 9's iPad split-screen multitasking. Users can expect apps to run more smoothly and an additional one-to-two hours of battery life.
Photographers Rejoice.
After a long, slow climb up the pixel ladder, rumor has it that Apple will (finally!) upgrade to a 12 megapixel back-facing camera. The standard since the iPhone 4S has been 8 megapixels. While some think Apple might wait for the iPhone 7 launch to upgrade the camera, there's steady rumor of the front-facing camera getting a boost; leading me to believe we'll see these changes sooner than later. While the back-facing camera already boasts 1080p video, now the front-facing camera will too; it's also expected to get a megapixel bump, up from 1.2 mp to, hopefully, 5 mp. I also expect to see the front-facing camera get slo-mo and panorama capabilites in September. Beyond the iPhone 6s, it appears Apple is moving toward a two-lens system, which would give iPhone pictures of the future DSLR quality.
Apple SIM.
This is one of those win-win situations people are always talking about. The Apple SIM card: one card for all the carriers. What does this mean? For Apple, it means less production cost as it can streamline its products by including a single card for all devices. No longer will you buy an iPhone for Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon. This would allow Apple to add more pretty colors (like Rose Gold) without additional inventory management issues.
Give it to me straight, Doc; how much is this gonna cost me?
Keeping with iPhone 6 tradition, Apple plans to release a 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB model. What isn't clear is whether we'll see a price change for non-contract phones now that Apple has a universal SIM card. When the iPhone 6 was released, the starting price was $199 for 16GB inside a two year contract. The iPhone 6 Plus started out at $299 and increased $100 dollars for each gigabyte upgrade. With that in mind, a non-contractual iPhone 6s is expected to run you $650 dollars for 16GB, $750 for 64GB, and $850 for 128 GB.
Want more rumors? Ask Siri to give you a hint: she has multiple witty answers up her sleeve. Check back September 9th; it will be interesting to see what surprises Apple has in store for us. What rumors do you think are true or false? Are there any rumors you've heard that aren't listed here? Share them in the comments!
