Apple is set to release its next generation smartphone next month, yet consumers don’t yet know whether it will be named the iPhone 6s or the iPhone 7. There has been something of a consensus in favor of the iPhone 6s in recent weeks, but with Apple predictably quiet on the subject this is certainly not an issue that has been resolved.
Apple to focus on Christmas once more
With Apple having announced an unveiling event for the next iPhone for September 9, with a large conference due to take place in San Francisco, anticipation is already building for the release of this smartphone. There has been a new model of the iPhone every year since its launch in 2007, and since 2012 the consumer electronics giant has focused on unveiling and ultimately releasing a device in the build-up to Christmas.
This has proved to be a hugely successful strategy for Apple, and the iPhone 6s or iPhone 7, depending on how it is branded, is predicted to be the most successful smartphone in the series yet. The iPhone 6 was stratospherically successful for Apple last year, yet the corporation is already planning to manufacture even more units of the iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 in 2015 than it did with the preceding iPhone 6 last year.
In the months that precede the release of an iPhone, there is always a huge amount of speculation and excitement, and the next generation iPhone will be no exception to this rule. There have been a host of rumors and leaks related to this new device, with a vastly improved camera and integrated Force Touch technology particularly anticipated.
Arguments for the iPhone 7
Considering that the Force Touch technology – which enables certain functions to be accessed via different severities of pressure being applied to any Force Touch-enabled device – is a completely new concept for the iPhone series, it could be logical for Apple to market these new iPhone variants as the iPhone 7. Certainly this new technology that has been adopted from the Apple Watch will be an entirely new aspect of the iPhone experience, and one that promises to make the iconic smartphone even slicker and more user-friendly to utilize.
With this in mind, many consumers have anticipated that Apple will indeed release an iPhone 7 branded unit next month. Internet searches for the iPhone 7 have increased significantly, and the media has reported frequently on various iPhone 7-related rumors.
iPhone branding history points to iPhone 6s
But the next generation iPhone is in fact unlikely to be sold as the iPhone 7. One merely needs to look at the history of the iPhone range in order to understand this. Since the second generation iPhone in 2008, every alternate year has seen the introduction of a so-called S model. 2008 saw the release of the iPhone 3G, naturally named after the 3G technology network, and since then we have seen two separate S-branded units. The most recent of these, the iPhone 5S, was released in 2013, and this pattern of branding suggests that the iPhone 6s could be the name for the next generation Apple smartphone.
Previous models in the S generation have introduced a wide range of new features, so it is important to note that a simple iPhone 6s branding does not indicate that this would not be an exciting new model of the handset. Previous S models have seen Siri emerge, and the iPhone 5s debuted Touch ID.
But there is an overall feeling that S models of the iPhone series feature less significant upgrades than devices featuring an entirely new number. In particular, it is noticeable that the S models of the iPhone range feature only cosmetic physical alterations to the device, and it is this above all else which perhaps suggests that Apple could opt for the iPhone 6s monicker when the device releases in September.
Reports from close to the Apple supply chain have suggested that Apple will retain a design extremely similar to the iPhone 6 when the iPhone 6s is constructed. The manufacturing process should already be under way for the smartphone, considering that Apple will likely release it before the end of September. At the very least, Apple will already have decided on the physical design and construction of this device.
Leaked iPhone photos show unchanged construction
And other murmurings surrounding this new iPhone model seem to corroborate this impression. There have been a wide range of leaked pictures and videos already released of this new iPhone variant, and these invariably suggest that it will appear fairly similar to previous models when it is finally unveiled and released. It is noticeable that there have been no suggestions whatsoever that Apple will significantly increase the screen size of either the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus. This would point to a 4.7-inch smartphone variant of the handset, accompanied by a larger 5.5 version generally considered to be a phablet.
Meanwhile, analysts covering the iPhone series increasingly suggest that upgrades to the device will be relatively modest, with more revolutionary changes to the iPhone series still being developed behind closed doors. Major camera upgrades involving a unique periscope design, and also a professional standard DSLR snapper are no being linked with the device to be released in the next month or so, and other revolutionary aspects of the purported iPhone 7 are also expected to be kept on ice for future device releases.
So it looks increasingly certain that the next generation iPhone will be branded the iPhone 6s when it is released. Although Apple has attempted to keep their release schedule related to the iPhone extremely quiet, and it has not actually confirm the existence of the next generation iPhone at all yet, the reported release date of the device is actually widely known by now. An inadvertent e-mail lead by the British carrier Vodafone seems to suggest that the next iPhone will go on sale on Friday, September 25, with pre-orders being available from one week in advance of this date.
Smart money is on this handset being branded the iPhone 6s when it finally does become available.
