It’s going to be a big year for what is officially considered the world’s most iconic brand. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been rocked a little by a poor city reaction to its recent revenue figures, and must now reinforce faith in its product lines going forward. While the ability to branch out into new markets with exciting new devices will form an important part of Apple’s strategy, there is no doubt that its existing flagship products will also be critical to the company’s long-term future.
Thus, a new iPhone would be important under any circumstances, but it is especially critical in this context. But this is doubly the case given that it is looking increasingly likely that the iPhone 6 won’t be a mere update of the recent iPhone 5S, but something close to a fully blown reboot of the entire iPhone concept.
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It’s not surprising then that people are already getting very excited about this forthcoming iPhone. Although Apple is keeping decidedly quiet on the subject of what to expect from this superstar smartphone, enough little clues have been gleaned for us to have at least a reasonable idea of what to expect, even if we’re not quite sure when the iPhone 6 is likely to hit the stores.
So we’re already seeing a raft of rumors, counter-rumors and speculation surrounding the iPhone 6, while the analyst community attempts to pick up on any morsels of information seeping out of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) itself which can give us a pointer regarding the iPhone 6. In accordance with this, some new concept videos have emerged in the last 24 hours which gives a tantalizing glimpse of what this exalted new handset might look like.
iPhone 6 screen size increase
Perhaps the most notable iPhone rumor doing the rounds is that Apple is going to significantly increase the screen size of the iPhone 6 with this new release. Just days ago the press in East Asia was reporting on the notion that the iPhone 6 will have a premium model with a 5.6-inch screen; a serious departure from past models, and effectively a 25 percent increase in display size.
However, it is also thought that this premium model may be viewed by the corporation as almost a separate entity, and that smaller, more affordable models may be released as well. Apple and Samsung will be strategically moving their pieces into position over the calendar year to establish their products within various market niches and demographics, and it is evident from the murmurings coming out of Apple that they wish to retain their premium image while also providing high-quality iPhones within the pocket range of people with more meager income.
Apple to release three iPhone 6 models?
The concept videos, which have appeared on the ‘ConceptsiPhone’ YouTube channel, very much reflect these rumors. The makers of the videos believe that Apple could choose to release three differently sized iPhones, or at the very least shows three possible model sizes. The video even attempts to name the iPhones, although it must be said that the names attributed to the three handsets seem a bit errant, in my opinion.
The first of the devices is referred to as the ‘iPhone Air Pro’, and this is the premium device that has been hot news in recent weeks. With a 5.5-inch screen and incredible mooted processing power with an Apple A8 processor, this promises to be one of the most physically impressive and speedy smartphones ever released. Another feature which will particularly please iPhone fans is the larger battery made possibly by the increased space in the device. It seems increasingly certain that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will put something very close to this out when the iPhone 6 is released.
Another device depicted by the video which is in accordance with recent rumors is the so-called ‘iPhone Air’. This handset might not pack quite the punch of the premium device, but will still be a top quality iPhone, with a 4.7-inch screen equal in size to that of previous iPhones. Its design looks to borrow heavily from the iPad Mini, and it’s certainly an attractive handset.
iPod influence
But the video also features a budget device which is a completely new concept, to me at least. The ‘iPhone Air Mini’ is obviously influenced by some of Apple’s iPod devices, comprising a 3.5-inch screen and an older Apple A7 processor. This would seemed to be aimed at casual smartphone users, or those with a limited budget, and it will be intriguing to see if Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) do move in this direction. Already rumors related to Samsung indicate that they will release at least one model of the Galaxy S5 at a lower price point in an attempt to tap into this budget demographic.
Time will tell how accurate this concept video will turn out to be, but it certainly taps into some of the prevailing trends which will define this forthcoming smartphone generation.