It's time once again to check in on the next iPhone and the latest rumors about Apple's immensely popular device. And, of course, the biggest question: When the heck will the next iPhone be released?
Most in the tech press believe the iPhone 5, or whatever it will be called, won't hit shelves until October. More precisely,
Oct. 7 is the latest date to hit the rumor mill, though other industry followers are expecting it the following week.
As previously reported, the next iPhone might actually be called the iPhone 4S, because the device is expected to be more of an update to the iPhone 4 than an entirely reworked model. That would fall in line with Apple's previous naming regimen: The iPhone 3GS was a relatively minor update to the iPhone 3G, and the iPhone 4 was a major upgrade.
Yet new rumors are suggesting Apple will unveil two new phones: an iPhone 4s, at a lower price point, and a higher-end iPhone 5. The Cupertino-based company may start selling two new phones in response to greater competition from Google's Android platform. (Google, by the way, on Monday announced plans to acquire Motorola Mobility, which builds the popular Droid line.)
Nevertheless, the next iPhone is expected to be thinner than the iPhone 4, but with similar design characteristics. A widely circulated photo - which is just as likely to be fake as real - could give you an idea. As previously reported, Apple might also be doing away with the glass backing of the iPhone 4 and give it an aluminum backing, like the iPad. The next iPhone also is rumored to have a larger screen, with less dead space between the screen and the phone's edges.