Apple's iPhone 5

Top 10 Biggest Questions About Apple's iPhone 5

What's in iOS 5?

While the iPhone accouterments is absolutely sexy, it's software that absolutely makes it an iPhone. So what does Apple accept planned for the next above adaptation of its iOS software for iPhones and iPads?

We asked a dozen iOS developers what they capital from iOS 5, and their responses included: A bigger alerts and notifications system; added accomplishments processing appearance — so the New York Times app could download account online writing while you're sleeping, for example; and potentially "widgets" to adapt your iPhone's alleviate or home screens. We'd aswell adulation to see a abundant bigger camera app, and maybe a bigger photo administration app, added like iPhoto for Mac OS X. The iPhone camera is acceptable absolute important, and while third-party developers like Instagram accept done some absolutely air-conditioned things with it, it makes faculty for Apple to advance the congenital camera software, too.

Is this addition accomplished new iPhone design?

We apprehend some of the accepted updates — faster, added memory, new chip, maybe some new accouterments appearance — and a new architecture for the iPhone 5. While the iPhone 4 is still an adorable phone, and is still selling, it will be a year old this June. That's a continued time in the smartphone industry, breadth new phones are consistently advancing out. So we don't apprehend addition iPhone 3GS-like "update" from Apple anytime again, breadth it keeps the aforementioned buzz case architecture from one year to the next but alone upgrades the guts.

This declared leaked angel could be it — abiding looks like the iPad 2 — or could be a fake. But either way, we apprehend a new design.

The critics accept shut up about Apple's iPhone 4 design, and "Antennagate" didn't assume to accept any aftereffect on sales. So we wouldn't be afraid to see the iPhone 4 stick about as Apple's cheaper iPhone model. But we apprehend at atomic some abstinent updates this year to the high-end model.

Will Apple assuredly about-face on some added "cloud" services?

The iPhone 5′s accouterments and software is important, but "cloud" casework on the aback end are acceptable added important for smartphones, and Apple could angle to accomplish some improvements there. For example: How about absolution you accompany your buzz over wi-fi instead of accepting to bung in a USB cable? How about getting able to admission your iTunes music library from anywhere? How about getting able to grab some of your iPhoto pictures from the road?

How about administration photos with added iPhone users afterwards accepting to email them?

Some or all of these appearance could potentially be congenital into a new "MobileMe" service, which Apple could potentially accomplish cheaper or even free. Some may accept to adjournment to be congenital into the next adaptation of Mac OS X, which is accepted to address this year. But this is an breadth area Google is accomplishing added absorbing things than Apple, so it's time to deathwatch up.

When will it go on sale?

Apple has launched a new iPhone every June or July aback the aboriginal one went on auction in 2007. We don't apprehend annihilation altered this year. Except that endure month, FBR analyst Craig Berger accepted that the iPhone 5 barrage may be pushed to September because of what he was audition from the accumulation chain: "For the iPhone 5, we abide to apprehend that a July barrage is unlikely, with assorted case suppliers and blow suppliers still ramping up, with some dent vendors not accepting yet accustomed abutting iPhone 5 orders, and with added sockets like the angel sensor … still in flux."

We accept Apple intends to absolution the iPhone 5 in the summer, as it has in accomplished years. But annihilation is possible, including a delay. Though, on the added hand, Apple launched the iPad 2 beforehand than expected, admitting in absolute abbreviate supply.

Will iPhone 5 awning abreast acreage advice (NFC) technology for adaptable payments?

One of the above new appearance accepted for the iPhone 5 was declared to be abreast acreage advice (NFC) technology, which would acquiesce you to accomplish a transaction or barter media with addition iPhone just by captivation it abutting to addition NFC device.

But the iPad 2 has alien afterwards NFC, and afresh the Independent appear that Apple is cogent carriers that the iPhone 5 will not accept it, either. It looks like Apple's transaction anarchy will accept to adjournment addition year.

Will the iPhone 5 be 4G? Will the phones be amalgam AT&T/Verizon units? Or abstracted like the iPhone 4 and iPad 2?

We don't apprehend the iPhone 5 to abutment 4G LTE networks. We anticipate Apple will adjournment until 2012 for that, in adjustment to accept the aboriginal phones and the best array life. In theory, there will be a dent anytime that lets Apple accomplish a individual iPhone that works on both GSM networks like AT&T and CDMA networks like Verizon. Added phones accept acclimated these chips for years. But the catechism is if they will be to Apple's liking, in agreement of size, functionality, and pricing.

This is something we accepted for the iPad 2, but Apple instead went with two altered 3G curve — abstracted AT&T and Verizon devices. Perhaps because the dual-mode chips weren't accessible yet. Perhaps because they weren't amount effective, if the majority of the apple doesn't use CDMA.

Will the iPhone 5 be dual-mode devices? Or just single-mode like absolute Apple devices?

Does Apple accept addition amusing arrangement up its sleeve? Or will it assuredly plan afterpiece with Facebook?

Is Apple traveling to abide to move into amusing networking? We had heard a rumor that it was alive on some array of amusing app for photo and media sharing, and some cipher begin in an iOS beta alleged "Media Stream" seems to aback that up. As abundant as we'd like to see Apple laptop array accomplish the iPhone added inherently social, we aswell don't accept abundant aplomb in their compassionate of what amusing accoutrement are all about, how they should be designed, and what makes them fun and useful. Endure year, Apple alien Ping and GameCenter, two amusing networks. We don't apprehend abundant about them.

So should Apple abide to accomplish its own amusing tools? Or should it plan to accommodate absolute amusing networks like Facebook and Twitter added into the iOS experience, the way added phones have?

Will it be bigger? Or smaller?

There are approved rumors that Apple is alive on abate or bigger iPhones.

We accept no agnosticism that Apple has activated abounding sizes of iPhones. And battling HP is ablution a tiny buzz this year alleged the Veer. But history has apparent that Apple is absolute blessed with the admeasurement of the iPhone. If we had to aces either way, we'd apprehend an iPhone with a hardly beyond screen, not a tiny iPhone nano. Annihilation too big — apparently not like the massive Android phones from the brand of HTC, Samsung, and others. But a bigger awning could be bigger for amateur and movies, so maybe anytime Apple will accomplish one.

Still, we wouldn't authority our breath.

Will Apple accept an able iPhone case like the iPad 2′s acute cover?

Apple's "smart cover" for the iPad 2 has absolutely gotten a lot of attention. It's acute that the awning was advised as allotment of the iPad, and not as an afterthought.  The accepted iPhone case, the "bumper," is accept — but if anything, it got ashore in the average of the Antennagate fiasco. And it's annihilation too special. Just a case with no back.

Will Apple appear out with a crazy awning of some array for the iPhone 5? Or will it just try to accomplish the absolute buzz added abiding so humans don't charge a case? The nice affair about the bumper, afterwards all, is that it doesn't add abundant aggregate to the buzz — it's basically a high-tech elastic band.

How abundant will it cost? Will there be a "free" iPhone this year? How about lower account fees?

Android phones are starting to edge down in price, and Apple hasn't absolutely done abundant with its iPhone appraisement aback 2008. 

Will this be the year that the low-end iPhone drops to $0 from $99 afterwards subsidy? Will Apple devise some added affairs with the carriers to accomplish abstracts admission added affordable for entry-level users?

Is there absolutely a super-cheap iPhone on the way for developing markets?