iPhone 6

Much as we may love our iPhones, battery-life has never been one of its strengths (ask Samsung). But if you were hoping that the larger size of the iPhone 6 would mean a much bigger battery, some Chinese media reports spotted by GforGames suggest that we might be disappointed.

The reports claim that the battery in the 4.7-inch model will be in the 1800-1900mAh range – only around 20 percent more than in the iPhone 5s. Factor in the increased power requirement of the larger screen and corresponding increase in resolution, and we might not see a significant boost increase in battery-life … 
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Photo: Thomson Reuters

Foxconn is preparing to enhance its assembly process with a new line of robots, the CEO of the iPhone manufacturer’s parent company said during a shareholder meeting. According to the executive, Apple will be the first company to reap the benefits of the new process, likely indicating that the iPhone 6 will be the first phone to be produced by the new machines.

Each of the planned 10,000 robots will cost the company between $20,000 and $25,000, and will be capable of churning out 300,000 smartphones on average. The machines, which are said to be in the final testing stages now, won’t be available for sale to other companies, according to CEO Terry Gou, as Foxconn will likely not have enough to meet its own needs.

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrM1u_gu49A]

We showed you photos a few days ago of what is claimed to be the display covers for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, which appeared to have slightly curved edges. Chinese site iFanr (via NWE) has now posted a video of the same part, giving a sense of how the larger phone will feel in the hand compared to the iPhone 5s … 
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For months, physical mockups, display components, front covers, and schematics for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6 have leaked on the web. However, the physical reconstructions and diagrams simply do not do the potential design of the redesigned smartphone justice. Based on recent reports and earlier part leaks, designer Mark Pelin has created a set of iPhone 6 design renders that might just be the clearest and nicest looking view of the potential phone. You can see the full image gallery below from Pelin:

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Japanese paper Nikkei has published a new report on their website comparing the mockups of the iPhone 6 to their supply chain sources. As translated by GforGames, the report says that while the mockups offer a good estimate of the final design, some key details are omitted.

Many of the things claimed in the report are obvious discrepancies, like button misalignment, but the report hones in on the antenna design (which has been critiqued by some readers) specifically. It says that the final iPhone 6 may not feature the ‘stripes’ at all, claiming that these simply mark out an area for glass materials to replace the aluminium frame, just like the iPhone 5s. Another possibility is that the stripe appearance is still present, but the stripes will be made out of attractive highly-polished glass.

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DqE3CcfqkQ]

Mac Otakara has posted a video it says is of the actual back of the 4.7-inch model of the iPhone 6, contrasting it with much simpler mockups.

While there’s no way to assess whether the part is genuine, it certainly looks convincing. The many mockups floating around are essentially featureless inside, but this appears to have the detail of the real thing. If it’s a hoax, it’s an extremely elaborate one … 
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Recent rumors have suggested that Apple’s upcoming 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will now launch alongside the 4.7-inch iPhone later this year. A larger 4.7-inch display may be the sweet spot for a lot of users on both iOS and Android, but 5.5-inches is definitely up there in phablet territory.

Unsurprisingly, mockups of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 have recently surfaced, and when compared to the 4.7-inch mockup or other 5.5-inch Android devices, it’s clear that this will be a massive iOS device. But how big is too big? If Apple plans to launch a device of this size, there are a few design changes that need to happen. Check out our comparison video for a closer look at the large 5.5-inch iPhone 6 mockup…

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A new research note from KGI indicates that the 4.7-inch model of the iPhone 6 won’t support optical image stabilization due to constraints in the production of VCM suppliers. The larger 5.5-inch version is expected to support the feature, while the smaller device will employ a cheaper motor that’s similar to the one found in the iPhone 5s.

Rather, we predict it will use a middle-mount type of open-loop VCM updated from the one used in the existing iPhone 5S. The 5.5” iPhone 6 is more likely to be equipped with OIS VCM due to lower estimated shipments and the need for more product features to differentiate itself from the 4.7” iPhone 6.

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Last night we noted a report from a Taiwanese news outlet which claimed in part that Apple would be putting the next-generation iPhone into production in July. Now, Bloomberg has confirmed that the company will indeed be starting production on two different models of the upcoming smartphone next month.

The iPhone 6 is expected to be available in two sizes: one with a 4.7-inch display and a larger 5.5-inch design. Both are larger than the current iPhone 5s which features a 4-inch display. iOS 8 has introduced useful changes for developers that seem to indicate a larger screen is coming (possibly with a resolution of 1704 x 960), and leaked dummies and parts have given us an idea of what the phone will look like when it officially launches. Both models will reportedly sport curved glass and rounded edges…

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iPhone manufacturing partner Foxconn is in the process of hiring 100,000 new workers in order to ramp up iPhone 6 production, according to a new report from Taiwanese Economic Daily. Another iPhone manufacturer, Pegatron, is also said to be ramping up hiring in anticipation of the new smartphone.

Hiring frenzies like this are not uncommon as new iPhone models prepare to enter production, but in the case of Foxconn the figure represents a new record number of jobs.

According to the report, Foxconn is reportedly responsible for producing 70% of iPhone 6 orders. The report claims that the device will enter mass production in July. Leaked dummies have already given us an idea of what the phone will look like, including the LCD for the rumored 5.5-inch model.

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On Weibo, user dreamerJimmy has posted more shots of the supposed iPhone 6 design, which has shown up in photos time and time again in recent weeks. The new images are of reasonable quality, though and indicate how the larger phone would compare physically with the current iPhone 5s. The user has a good reputation for leaks, posting accurate images of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c months before their unveiling.

In the first image, the much thinner bezels of the supposed new device can be clearly seen, to maximise the screen space on the front side. The distance between the Home Button and the display has also been shortened.

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New high-resolution photos surfaced over the weekend showing what is expected to be the much thinner iPhone 6 following a report from Venture Beat that corroborates several other claims that the next generation iPhone will feature a larger display than previous models. Included in that report are also claims that Apple will opt for implementing NFC (near field communication), wireless charging, and improved LTE in the next iPhone refresh expected later this year…

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The Nikkei Asian Review is reporting that Apple will launch its iWatch in October, rather than alongside the iPhone 6 in September as has been widely expected. It’s also citing unnamed “industry sources” as saying that the watch will have a curved, OLED touchscreen and that Apple is planning on producing 3-5M units a month.

According to a parts manufacturer, it plans monthly commercial output of about 3-5 million units, which exceeds the total global sales of watch-like devices last year. This confidence is backed by its partnerships with high-profile hospitals — it has teamed up with the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic …

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With so many new iOS and OS X features being introduced in yesterday’s WWDC keynote, the numbers that kicked off the show perhaps didn’t get the attention they otherwise might have done.

While the Wall Street line is that the smartphone market is saturated and iPhone and iPad growth is done, Tim Cook clearly thinks otherwise. Business Insider highlighted Cook’s comment on the migration Apple is seeing from Android phones.

“Over 130 million customers who bought an iOS device in the past 12 months were buying their first Apple device,” said Cook before introducing iOS 8, the new software for the iPhone and iPad. “Many of these customers were switchers from Android. They had bought an Android phone — by mistake. Then had sought a better experience … And a better life. And decided to check out iPhone and iOS.”

He added, “Nearly half of our customers in China in the past six months switch from Android to iPhone. This is incredible.”

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Australian blog MacFixIt has gotten its hands on a photo of what it says is a rear shell from the upcoming iPhone 6 that allegedly comes from sources inside the supply chain. This is reportedly the 4.7″ model, which is one of two planned for release this fall. The larger 5.5″ version has yet to be leaked, though.

This shell lines up with recent design rumors, including a few leaked dummies presumably designed for case manufacturers to work with. The next iPhone is expected to be announced this fall, likely in September, and will include the iOS 8 operating system that Apple will be showing off at WWDC next week.

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Weibo is continuing to be the source of unverified iPhone 6 leaks. This time, user “顾Gooey” has published some photos that he claims to represent display backlight components for the next-generation iPhone with a 4.7-inch screen. These parts appear similarly structured to the iPhone 5S and 5C version of the backlight component, meaning that the forum poster is either passing off the current-generation part as next-generation or that there is something legitimate about the components. The iPhone 6 is rumored to come in both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes, and it will run iOS 8, include a more efficient A8 processor, and likely feature a 1704 x 960 display with a sharper pixel density. Another unverified backlight component photo, below, from Weibo:

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Following announcements earlier this month from both AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobile announced today it’s introducing Voice over LTE support starting with the Seattle market:

So I’m thrilled to congratulate my team on the launch of Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in the Seattle area for our existing LG G Flex and Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Light customers. Our friends at MetroPCS were the first to launch VoLTE in the U.S. back in 2012, and we’ve been working hard on a LTE Advanced version of VoLTE, which we plan to roll out to more T-Mobile customers throughout the coming year.

T-Mobile’s CTO Neville Ray noted that the new technology, which brings voice calls onto the same LTE radio layer previously reserved for data, will allow “faster call setup times (almost twice as fast as a non-VoLTE call setup) and the ability to enjoy lightening fast LTE data speeds while on a call.” It will also support the HD Voice or wide-band audio feature that Apple already supports. Ray explained how the technology works:
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Verizon Wireless is officially joining in on this year’s major new cellular network technology: Voice over LTE, or “VoLTE.” VoLTE allows voice calls on compatible smartphones to be made over the previously-data only LTE network technology. This allows for higher-quality, better sounding (“HD Voice”) phone calls to be placed. The rollout will occur “later this year”, or “in the coming months” depending on which part of the press release you believe:

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