While we can expect the iPhone 5 to incorporate some innovative new features, industry-watcher sources in the Far East are reporting that Apple will also be backing away from some of the avant-garde engineering concepts introduced with the iPhone 4.
The iPhone 4′s glass back, while sleek and swish looking, has not been an unqualified success, having proved easily scratched and somewhat fragile, especially if the iPhone is dropped. It’s also been rumored that issues with painting the glass back white have been the white iPhone holdup.Consequently, it’s now rumored that Apple will switch back to an aluminum back for the iPhone 5.
Last week, the Japanese Apple news watcher site Macotakara’s danbo translated a report from the Chinese-language Taiwan Economic Daily News , projecting, based on “comprehensive talks with the Chinese sources,” that a likely date for iPhone 5 production to commence is July 6, and that Apple is considering a reversion to the aluminum back for the new model.
Moreover, the report suggests that Apple wil drop the infamously problematical steel outer frame with antenna of the iPhone 4, and have an iPad-style internal antenna sending and receiving cellular and Wi-Fi signal through the Apple logo on the back.
Finally, the article expresses “no doubt that the iPhone 5 will come with the same A5 processor chip as in the recently announced iPad 2.
iPhone 5 To Have iOs 5
Meanwhile, in other news, as I post this blog entry, the iOS 4.3 update, announced at the iPad 2 unveiling event on March 2, is expected to be released any time, perhaps by the time you read this, although the official release date announced was March 11, coinciding with the iPad 2 release. iOS 4.3 introduces some of the features that will be in iOS 5 which is expected along with the iPhone 5 release later this year.
New features in iOS 4.3 include faster Safari mobile browsing performance with the Nitro JavaScript engine; iTunes Home Sharing; enhancements to AirPlay; the choice of using the iPad side switch to either lock the screen rotation or mute the audio; and the Personal Hotspot feature for sharing an iPhone 4 cellular data connection over Wi-Fi.
The Nitro JavaScript engine that Apple pioneered on the desktop is now built into WebKit, the browser engine that underlies Safari, and is claimed by Apple to more than double the performance of JavaScript execution using just-in-time compilation, providing a better mobile browser experience by working faster to support the interactivity of complex sites you visit on a daily basis.
Also new in version 4.3 is iTunes Home Sharing that allows iOS 4.3 users to play music, movies and TV shows on an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch from their iTunes library on a Mac or PC over a local Wi-Fi network, with access to all the media in your iTunes library wherever you are in your home a screen-tap away. For example, you’ll be able to stream a movie from your Mac in one room to your iPad in another, or an iTunes mix to your iPod touch from the office to the kitchen.
Enhancements have also been made to to AirPlay, the wireless technology that allows streaming of music, photos and video to Apple TV. With iOS 4.3 you’ll be able to stream additional content including video from third party apps and web sites, videos from the Photos app and previews from the iTunes app to your TV, export slide shows to a TV screen, or shoot a video on iOS device and stream it directly from the Photos app to Apple TV.
A new Personal Hotspot feature in iOS 4.3 enables taking Wi-Fi with you anywhere you go, by allowing you to share an iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to five devices in a combination of up to three Wi-Fi, three Bluetooth and one USB device. Once Personal Hotspot is enabled, a status bar will display how many devices are currently connected. Every Personal Hotspot connection is password protected and when not in use Personal Hotspot turns itself off to save battery life. Note that additional network charges may apply. Check with your service provider.
iOS 4.3 will be available to iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users as a free software update, and is compatible with iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (GSM model), plus third and fourth generation iPod touch. iPhone 3G and the second-generation iPod touch are not supported.
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