Fresh rumours circulating online state that Apple’s long-time manufacturing partner, Foxconn may have already started production work on the iPhone 5S. Macotakara, a Japanese tech blog reports that Foxconn has begun “partial production” on the successor to last year’s iPhone 5 and the device is being manufactured on the same production line as the iPhone 5. The Japanese blog claims that the information was gleaned from a “reliable” source and according to the same source, Japanese telecom operator NTT Docomo has already cut back its Android portfolio in order to accommodate the iPhone 5S.
Apart from these new rumours there has been plenty of talk about what new features and specs will make their debut on the iPhone 5S. Some of them are pretty standard: an A7 processor that will be an improvement over the A6X processor that powers the iPad 4, the same look and design as the iPhone 5 (just like how the iPhone 4S kept the look of the iPhone 4) and an improved 8MP camera with a ‘Smart Flash’ (more on that later). However, some of the rumours also sound a little wild. Rumours like:
A Fingerprint Scanner
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 5S will house a fingerprint scanner under the home screen. This will let users set their iPhone to only unlock after scanning for their fingerprints. Now, this technology has already been around on consumer devices like laptops for a while and is quite reliable but it would be a first for a mainstream mobile phone. While most regular users wouldn’t really see the need for it, we could see security conscious users really warm up to the idea of securing their phones with the help of their own biometric identity.
Smart Flash
The iPhone 5S is supposed to complement its (rumoured) 8MP camera with what’s being called the Smart Flash. The blog, Patently Apple first spotted this patent application by Apple back in 2010 and now rumours put this feature into the iPhone. With Smart Flash, users will be able to shift the focus of the camera flash to an area that may need more illumination than the rest of the scene. iPhone cameras have been consistently very good and if this feature actually sees the light of day through the iPhone 5S, it could very well help Apple take back the mantle of best cameraphone.
An Entirely Different iPhone
Ok, so this rumour may not actually be about the iPhone 5S, but it’s worth mulling over. Very strong reports about a less-expensive iPhone have been floating around for awhile now. Apart from the lighter price-tag, rumours about this iPhone tend to vary from each other. Some rumours suggest that this iPhone will have a plastic body while others claim that it will have a polycarbonate chassis. The rumours are also conflicted regarding this iPhone’s screen size. Some rumours take the conservative route and go with a 4-inch screen while others claim that this iPhone will have a larger 4.5-inch screen with the same resolution as the iPhone 5.
…And the Really Crazy One- A ‘Smart’ Stylus
We have to admit this rumour sounds like it was concocted within the walls of Arkham Asylum. Patently Apple claims that Apple has filed a patent application for a smart stylus, that can be used to open specific apps, scan barcodes and take pictures and secure the device by using specific motions to lock and unlock it. As neat as the Samsung Galaxy Note’s S Pen is, we think it’d be a really cold in hell before Apple decides to adopt a stylus for the iPhone.
Get ready for iPhone rumours to come at you with full force in the coming months. After all, if the rumours are to be believed you will be able to take home a brand new iPhone 5S, or a plastic-bodied iPhone as soon as July or August of this year.
Sources: CNET, Mac Rumours, Patently Apple, International Business Times