It's been long rumoured that the next iteration of the iPhone will be called the iPhone 5S and will not bring radical external changes.
However, a new
report by Japanese website, Mac Otakara, which is one of the few credible sources of Apple related news, confirms that the phone would indeed be called the iPhone 5S, citing an Asian source.
The report also adds that a new Gold colour variant would be introduced for the iPhone 5S this year, and that Apple will get rid of the rectangular icon on the iPhone's home button.
It also confirms that the much leaked low cost iPhone will be called the iPhone 5C. Earlier,
leaked images of alleged packaging material of the low cost iPhone had revealed that the phone would be called iPhone 5C.
The report also reaffirms KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's predictions. He had predicted that the
iPhone 5S will be powered by the faster A7 processor, and that the phone's camera will feature a smart flash which will have white or yellow light depending on the ambient light conditions, and a fingerprint reader under the Home button for security. He had also mentioned that the low-cost version of the iPhone 5 will have a hybrid casing of fibreglass and plastic making it lighter and slimmer compared to a plastic casing and for making it available in different colours. He had also said that the camera's resolution would be 8-megapixels but the lens would feature some enhancements.
Meanwhile, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has
reiterarted in a new research note that the next generation iPhone's home button will sport a fingerprint sensor. It says that the home button will be made out of sapphire and would be slightly convex compared to the current one. Kuo says that Apple will use sapphire as it's resistant to scratches and will be able to protect the biometric sensor used for detecting fingerprints.
Mac Otakara had first reported about the possibility of the
iPhone 5S being offered in a Gold coloured variant, in June, following another report in May, that featured purported pictures of components part of the next generation iPhone 5S which showcased two different SIM-card trays, silver and bronze/ gold coloured, leaving the slate coloured one.
According to a new report, Apple is expected to release the next generation iPhone in September. The report cites unnamed sources as saying that
Apple will unveil its next smart phone at a special event on September 10.