The long wait is almost over. Apple will unveil its iPhone 6, along with the iWatch and other goodies, at 1:00 p.m. ET. You can watch the live streaming of the iPhone 6 media event here. It is arguably the most anticipated smartphone of this year. The new device will mark the biggest change in Apple’s smartphone strategy since Tim Cook took over as CEO of the company. Will the two big screen devices help Apple regain its dominant position in the market? That remains to be seen. But expectations are pretty high. Ahead of the iPhone 6 launch, here is what we can expect from today’s launch event.
iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6L?
Apple finally seems to have heard what consumers want in terms of screen size. The company’s next-gen iPhone will come in two display sizes, 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch. The new phones will help Apple compete in a market where users are more interested in buying phablets rather than 4-inch devices. What will the two variants of the iPhone 6 be called? Rumors suggest that the 4.7-inch version will be called the iPhone 6 while the 5.5-inch model will be named the iPhone 6L. More recent rumors indicate that the larger of the two phones will be named the iPhone 6 Plus.
Ahead of the official launch, Apple’s Chinese partner China Mobile has spilled the beans. The world’s largest telecom company’s signup page says the iPhone 6 will pack 8-megapixel main camera and 2.1-megapixel front snapper. The device will feature an upgraded A8 chip with quad-core CPU. Reports suggest that the A8 processor will be manufactured by TSMC. But more recent rumors maintain that both Samsung and TSMC will be responsible for the A8 processor. TSMC will reportedly handle 60%-70% of manufacturing, whereas the remaining orders will be fulfilled by Samsung.
iPhone 6 getting a massive design overhaul
The 4.7-inch version will have a resolution of 828×1472 pixels (359 ppi) and its big brother will come with 960×1704 pixels resolution (356ppi). Besides higher resolution and bigger displays, numerous leaks and rumors also indicate a new design philosophy. The design of the next generation iPhone is inspired by the latest iPod Touch. Unlike its predecessors, the iPhone 6 will have curved edge design. The power button will be on the right side. The circular volume buttons have become ellipsoidal in shape on the left side.
The new phone will have near-field communication (NFC), mobile payments, iOS 8, and support for the latest Wi-Fi 802.11ac technology. What’s more, the iPhone 6 will have a bigger battery than its predecessors. Rumors indicate that the 5.5-inch version will get a 2915mAh battery, and the 4.7-inch version will carry 1810mAh battery. Though its battery is smaller than other Android phones that pack batteries bigger than 3,000mAh. But Apple has managed to deliver top-notch performance even with not-s-great specs.
