As Summer approaches and with it we come closer to the rumoured launch date of the next iPhone incarnation (apparently due somewhere around June) it comes as no surprise that the Apple rumour-mill shows no signs of slowing, and with that we’ve come across some of the proposed specs for the upcoming Apple handset.
Sites such as Digitimes, Engadget and Slashgear are awash with rumours of the new iPhone handset that can be seen in the mock-up to the right, named the iPhone Nano. Whether the handset will actually turn out to look anything like this concept image is one question that we can’t shed any light on but we can reveal are some of the purported specs for the new device.
If these rumours pan out to be accurate the next generation handset will come with some impressive connectivity options that will include draft-n Wi-Fi, apparently the handset will be MIMO (multi-in, multi-out) capable and will offer 5GHz support as well as network bonding.
It’s not a huge surprise that Apple has upgraded the networking capabilities since reports last month that the new handset would offer improvements in this area, but we like the inclusion of the 5GHz support and channel bonding particularly.
Also present on the new chipset for the device is an FM receiver and transmitter, yep, you heard us correctly - a transmitter. This would be a pretty useful addition which could mean that you no longer have to use third-party devices to stream your music to your [car] radio. Don’t get too excited though, it seems unlikely to us that Apple will allow the transmitter to ship unrestricted - for one thing, Apple has form with this on the current iPhone as it has locked down the the FM receiver to Nike+ accessories only. As well as that it certainly wouldn’t spell good news for the licensed third-party accessory manufacturers who will no doubt want to cash in on the newest device when it launches.
Snapper-wise there’s some slightly disappointing news in our opinion as it’s rumoured to only be packing a measly 3.2-megapixels.
The source of this rumour comes from a Far Eastern manufacturing company called OmniVision who are reporting that they have received orders from Apple for 3.2 and 5-megapixel sensors the latter of which is apparently destined for "another Apple product expected to be launched later in the year".
There’s no mention of whether there is a flash on board but we’re seriously hoping that there will be otherwise it may be tough to consider a handset with a 3.2-megapixel camera and no flash ‘next-gen’.
Call it an iPhone Nano, iPhone 2, or iPhone2 whatever the moniker it’s sure to sell a truck-load – well, more than a truck-load but what’s that rumoured 5-megapixel sensor for if it’s not for the next iPhone?