Apple's Next iPhone: The Final Rumor Checklist

Tomorrow's the big day. Well, it's one of the big days: while the Android Nexus Prime and its ridiculous 1280x720 screen may be announced in the next couple weeks, the iPhone 5 will make its world debut this Tuesday. While last year's model found its way into the wild thanks to the Gizmodo fiasco, Apple's kept the iPhone 5 on lockdown. We still don't know exactly what the phone will look like or what kind of hardware it's running.

The rumor mill has been running on overdrive for months, so we've rounded up the most likely candidates (processor upgrade to A5) and the iffier suggestions (iPhone 4S) for you to read through and pass judgment on.

iPhone 5

• Reports and rumors released for the past six months have either focused on a new, redesigned iPhone or a minor upgrade popularly called the iPhone 4S. We'll look at the iPhone 5 rumors first.

• Expected to be thinner and lighter than the current iPhone. Will likely resemble the iPad 2, but in phone form. This has been rumored for months and months, and has even been mocked up with a realistic replica.
• The next iPhone have a curved teardrop shape. Cases have backed up this rumor, but some people like Apple pundit John Gruber are skeptical, and argue that the iPhone will keep its current "Leica" glass design.
• The new body entails a bigger screen. The iPhone's 3.5-inch screen feels awfully small next to 4-inch and up screens common on Android. Resolution will likely stay at 960x640 for the sake of app development. Apple's "Retina Display" will still be one of the sharpest around. To compare "qHD" resolution is 960x540, and there are rumors that the next Nexus phone will have a 1280x720 resolution screen.
• The Home button may not be shaped like an oval and offer capacitive touch for slide gestures.

• The processor is expected to be the dual-core A5 processor present in the iPad 2. Apple may choose to run it at a lower clock speed to preserve battery life in the smaller device. The A4 processor currently in the iPhone 4 was reported (but never confirmed by Apple) to be lower-clocked than the A4 processor in the first-generation iPad.
• The camera may use an 8MP sensor. A Sony sensor has been rumored for the phone since February.
• The phone will be on CDMA and GSM networks and may use a dual-mode radio. Makes sense, since the Verizon iPhone 4 already uses a dual-mode-capable chipset. Sprint's reportedly betting the farm on its iPhone deal.
• Powerful voice commands are expected in the form of iPhone Assistant, and voice-to-text may be another addition in a new feature called Dictation.

IPhone 4s


Fact: Apple will sell a cheap version of the iPhone, just as it has with the 3GS and the 3G before it. Every year the outdated model gets bumped down in price to swell the iPhone ranks. This year may be different: rumors call for a redesigned iPhone 4 that will be cheaper for Apple to produce. Some even claim the iPhone 4S is the iPhone 5 and represents only a small spec bump. Even if Apple doesn't shake up the iPhone 4 design at all, expect to see a $100 model on display next to whatever updated product is on display at $199.

• New iPhone model numbers have hit the Apple inventory system.
• Reuters reported the cheaper iPhone 4 will have only 8GB of storage to reduce costs.
• Some prototypes have been spotted with those model numbers.
• After antenna issues and easily broken glass backplates, the iPhone 4 could use a subtle rework with a plastic backplate to be cheaper and more reliable. The dual-mode chipset in the Verizon iPhone 4 mentioned above could potentially be used for all models going forward to simplify manufacturing.

What you shouldn't expect

• Edge-to-edge glass on the face of the phone. Apple's not going to spend money getting the LCD right up to the edge of the face.
• NFC. Despite rumors of Apple getting into the NFC game, nothing has manifested yet, and they're probably waiting until the retail market is really ready to jump on board in a big way.
• LTE 4G. Verizon's making decent headway with LTE, but AT&T's still early in its roll out and Sprint won't be switching from Wi-MAX to LTE until next year.