Last year’s iPhone 5 release didn’t really surprise anyone. Countless leaks, photos, videos and rumor mongers quickly centered on one general idea: A redesigned case with a 4-inch screen, LTE and a new connector.
One of the main rumor mongers leading the charge was Rene Ritchie of iMore who has apparently recently acquired some reliable sources inside One Infinite Loop, Apple’s HQ in Cupertino, California.
Today, Ritchie is jump-starting the rumor mill once more with claims Apple will stick with their tick-tock release style with an iPhone 5S slated for an August debut. Ritchie also mentioned a possible fifth generation iPad.
“iMore has learned that Apple is planning the release of the iPhone 5S for this summer, currently for August. Next generation iPads, presumably the iPad 5 and potentially the iPad mini 2, may also debut as soon as this April,” claims Ritchie in his early morning post.
Ritchie expects the iPhone 5S will have the same design, just like the 3GS and 4S before it. Like these other S models, the 5S will only be differentiated by what’s inside, such as a faster processor. The report also claims Apple will be installing a “much better camera” in the 5S, which would be a welcome advancement for that growing group of “iPhoneographers.”
iMore’s sources are even less specific about the fifth generation iPad, saying Apple is now seriously considering “April-ish” as a release date for their new tablets. Some case makers are hoping the new iPad will take on the iPad mini’s body style, complete with a thinner body and thinner bezel. Case makers aren’t the best source for Apple rumors however, though Apple has before shifted existing products to look more like newer products, a la the unibody Macs and the iPhone 4 and 4S.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo with KGI Securities listed his predictions for Apple 2013 this past January in a roadmap issued to investors. According to Kuo, the iPhone 5S will debut alongside a cheaper, plastic iPhone this July.
Kuo took a moment yesterday to remind everyone about his claims, saying the cheap plastic iPhone will use a hybrid material of fiberglass and plastic.
Kuo agrees with Ritchie, claiming Apple will stick with the S model this year and pack it with better specs, including an A7 processor, a “Smart Flash” to produce better pictures, and even a fingerprint sensor in the home button to add an extra layer of security.
If Ritchie and Kuo are correct and if Apple sticks with their S model release schedule, those calling on the iPhone maker to release an innovative product could be left wanting.
With manufacturers like HTC and Samsung steadily improving their devices and raising the bar — and withAndroid getting better with each iteration — Apple may need more than an A7 processor and a Smart Flash to make their popular smartphone emerge from the scrum.
In a previous post, Ritchie claimed Apple’s big innovations will arrive in iOS 7 and a better, more reliable iCloud.
This is just the beginning of rumor season, however, and there’s plenty of time left for things to unfold.
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