The  late Summer Tech Talk has invariably turned to speculation on  the particulars of the next generation of Apple’s Smartphone.  What with Apple playing their cards so close to their chests this year, the word “speculation”   can be spelled R-U-M-O-R.

According to the folks at Apple, 35% of consumers are already poised to by the iPhone 5 when it comes out.  Since you can’t tell the players without a scorecard, we turned to Digital Trends to narrow down the gossip to those tid-bits  that are the most believable.

 

1. Two Phones?

The first phone is said to be the standard high-end option that we've all come to expect, and all of the rumors refer to this device as the "iPhone 5." The other handset, a less expensive model that is said to come unlocked (without a pre-designated carrier), is rumored to be called the "iPhone 4S" — at least, that's what it's been called for the past couple of months.

Another possibility (and one that may be more likely) is that Apple will offer a previous year's model unlocked, for around $300 to $350, and we'll only see one new handset this year, the iPhone 5.

2. New Design…

According to sources, the new iPhone will likely be thinner, with a teardrop shape that tapers toward the bottom. The screen will get a boost from 3.5 to 3.7 inches (though many other reports say it will be a full 4-inch screen), and extend from edge-to-edge, with little or no bezel

3. Hardware Upgrades…

Here's what will likely be included in the iPhone 5: The 1GHz A5 processor, which is twice as fast as the A4 that powers the current iPhone, and is the CPU that runs the iPad 2; 16GB of flash memory (same as iPhone 4); 512MB of DDR RAM (same as iPhone 4); an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera (up from 5-megapixel on iPhone 4) and an improved front-facing camera.

4. New Carriers…

Right now, the iPhone is only available on AT&T and Verizon, the two largest wireless carriers in the US. But rumor has it that Apple will launch the iPhone 5 on all four major US carriers, which would add Sprint and T-Mobile to the list.

This speculation makes good business sense, since Apple would only sell more iPhones if it were available to more customers. It also aligns with reports that Apple has already ordered the production of 25 million units of the next iPhone, which suggests it expects higher sales of the device. And Sprint has reportedly been testing the iPhone on its network.

Hundreds more rumors are out there..only time will tell..In the meantime, one wonders if all this secrecy from Apple on the product isn’t really more along the line of “hype”.  With 35% of consumers already putting the product on their “must have” list, it’s easy to imagine those numbers climbing much higher as Apple releases facts about the new technology.

Thanks to Digital Trends and KPLC for information

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