With the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September 2014 Apple, for the first time ever Apple gave us two high-end phones and a real choice for consumers. With all of that success, we're all interested now in how Apple can follow this up with its next smartphones. Here we've rounded up all of the likely rumours about the handset, while we peel back the layers of half-truths and outright nonsense to find out what Apple really has in store for us.
Model Launch date
iPhone 4S September 12th 2011
iPhone 5 September 21st 2012
iPhone 5S/5C September 20th, 2013
iPhone 6/6 Plus September 19th, 2014
We definitely won't get a bigger battery
One of the things that we know for certain is that the iPhone 6S and, indeed, any future iPhone, will not get a bigger battery. Jony Ive, the iPhone designer, recently said that a bigger battery would make the iPhone less compelling. His argument is that the iPhone is so slim and light that people always use it; making it bigger and heavier to contain a larger battery would mean that people would use it less. Unless Apple dramatically increases screen sizes, making the overall iPhone case bigger, larger batteries are definitely out of the window. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as we've found that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus lasted a lot longer than their predecessors, with the phablet easily lasting way over a day in normal use. Besides, if Apple can make its CPU more efficient, it will use less power, extending battery life without requiring a bigger battery. If you need a phone based purely on how long it lasts, our best smartphone battery life article will help you choose.
We may see THREE models: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and iPhone 6C
The success of the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus, means that we're likely to both models get a refresh with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. However, that leaves one gap in the market. At the moment, Apple also sells the iPhone 5S, which is just about the best and most powerful mini smartphone available. Come September 2015, though, and this handset will be two years old and getting on a bit.
The question is, will Apple replace this model with a newer 4in device, the iPhone 6C (potentially the iPhone 6S Mini)? Rumours initially said that the handset will use the A8 chip of the iPhone 6S and a similar, but smaller metal case (it won't be plastic as the iPhone 5C was).
Doubt has been cast on these initial rumours with Digitimes now reporting that Apple will release an iPhone 6C aimed at emerging markets. As expected, it will have a 4in screen and, to keep costs down, it will be made of plastic.
We're still not convinced by this one, as creating any new handset means starting a new production line, which costs a lot of money. Typically, when Apple has aimed at emerging markets in the past it has merely pushed one of its older handsets, where economies of scale and an existing production line have let it push the price down. This feels more likely to be the case going forward.
We wouldn't expect to see a smaller iPhone 6S available in the UK, either. With the stunning sales of the 4.7in iPhone 6, which most people agree is the perfect size, there seems to be little point in Apple releasing a slightly smaller handset. We'll stick our heads out and say that there won't be three new iPhones this year.
Model Launch date
iPhone 4S September 12th 2011
iPhone 5 September 21st 2012
iPhone 5S/5C September 20th, 2013
iPhone 6/6 Plus September 19th, 2014
We definitely won't get a bigger battery
One of the things that we know for certain is that the iPhone 6S and, indeed, any future iPhone, will not get a bigger battery. Jony Ive, the iPhone designer, recently said that a bigger battery would make the iPhone less compelling. His argument is that the iPhone is so slim and light that people always use it; making it bigger and heavier to contain a larger battery would mean that people would use it less. Unless Apple dramatically increases screen sizes, making the overall iPhone case bigger, larger batteries are definitely out of the window. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as we've found that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus lasted a lot longer than their predecessors, with the phablet easily lasting way over a day in normal use. Besides, if Apple can make its CPU more efficient, it will use less power, extending battery life without requiring a bigger battery. If you need a phone based purely on how long it lasts, our best smartphone battery life article will help you choose.
We may see THREE models: iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus and iPhone 6C
The success of the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus, means that we're likely to both models get a refresh with the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. However, that leaves one gap in the market. At the moment, Apple also sells the iPhone 5S, which is just about the best and most powerful mini smartphone available. Come September 2015, though, and this handset will be two years old and getting on a bit.
The question is, will Apple replace this model with a newer 4in device, the iPhone 6C (potentially the iPhone 6S Mini)? Rumours initially said that the handset will use the A8 chip of the iPhone 6S and a similar, but smaller metal case (it won't be plastic as the iPhone 5C was).
Doubt has been cast on these initial rumours with Digitimes now reporting that Apple will release an iPhone 6C aimed at emerging markets. As expected, it will have a 4in screen and, to keep costs down, it will be made of plastic.
We're still not convinced by this one, as creating any new handset means starting a new production line, which costs a lot of money. Typically, when Apple has aimed at emerging markets in the past it has merely pushed one of its older handsets, where economies of scale and an existing production line have let it push the price down. This feels more likely to be the case going forward.
We wouldn't expect to see a smaller iPhone 6S available in the UK, either. With the stunning sales of the 4.7in iPhone 6, which most people agree is the perfect size, there seems to be little point in Apple releasing a slightly smaller handset. We'll stick our heads out and say that there won't be three new iPhones this year.
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