iPhone 4G Facts and Rumors

Before I get started here I want you all to know that this post will discuss rumors about the next version of the iPhone. Since this product doesn’t exist yet, it is impossible to check facts, so instead, let’s just have some fun.

I have divided the post into the major rumors out there and done my best to go through them with you. Some of the information here may, in fact, turn out to be real but the majority of what I am posting today could could end up being complete fiction.

Here they are:

The Name
While most posts on the internet refer to the name iPhone 4G for the next iPhone there is a strong possibility that it will actually be named something different. Building 4G networks is a huge undertaking that takes time. The major cellular networks are still spending the majority of their efforts now building out their current 3G networks. I think there is a strong possibility that there will be another release of the iPhone before 4G networks are ready for it. Another possibility is there will be a dual 3G/4G radio installed in the next iPhone model. At any rate, the name of the next iPhone may very well be iPhone Max, iTablet, iPhone Ultra, iPhone Video, iPhone Mini or something like that.

Camera (using iChat)
The vast majority of the rumors out there support the idea of a revamped camera on the next iPhone. It will likely be in the 4-6 Megapixel range. The real change, however, is not the resolution of the camera but its placement. It will very likely be on the front of the phone and not the back. This opens the door for video conferencing using the current Apple iChat technology. I believe you will be able to have portable video conferences with Mac and PC desktop users on the next iPhone. It would be an obvious time to release iChat for the PC as well.

Display (16×9)
This is where we get into the rumors about the iTablet. Many are saying now that the next iPhone will have a larger display (some say significantly larger). If it is too much bigger, the whole idea of it even being a called a phone changes. I think the more likely scenario here is that there will be two separate products: a smaller iPhone and a larger touch screen driven tablet that is closer to the size of a netbook. Either way, a 16×9 iPhone screen may be on the way.

Battery
Until I read about it, I did not know that the single biggest reason people upgraded from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS was the extended battery life. It has also been suggested that users would prefer a user installable battery instead of one that has to be swapped out at an Apple Retail Store. Expect a battery upgrade in the new iPhone.

Magnetometer
Currently an iPhone 3GS figures out what direction it is pointed by extrapolating data it is receiving from the internet (Google Maps and cellular towers). When you are in a remote area it fails to function as a compass. There is a rumor that a magnetometer will be added in the next iPhone to make it a real compass that could be used with pre-downloaded maps to navigate when cellular and internet services are unavailable.

Memory
It is logical to assume that 64GB or even 128GB models will be available in the next version of the iPhone.

When
This is anyone’s guess!!