next generation

There are rumors, then there are details revealed by trusted sources within Apple. 9to5Mac not only has these contacts, but they have combed through iOS 6 beta to learn more about the next generation iPhone hardware. The results, while not entirely surprising, are interesting for those waiting until Apple's October launch of the iPhone 5.

The hardware has been labeled by Apple as "iPhone5,1" otherwise known as N41AP. When it comes to the basics, this device will carry a variant of the A5X chip with 1GB of RAM and a mysterious new GPU chip called the SGX543RC* (the asterisk hides numbers that could identify Apple employees working on the device).

9to5Mac has posted several photos of Apple's next-generation iPhone. The photos show the iPhone's new metal back plates, the rumored smaller dock connector and that the earphone jack has been moved to the bottom corner of the device. 9to5Mac also notes that the "speaker grills have been redesigned, and there is a new opening between the camera lens and the LED flash."

"We’re not sure what this opening is, but it is possible that Apple is moving the second microphone (Apple started shipping two microphones with the iPhone 4) to the back for improved audio capture during video recording."

Could bending and twisting iPhones be coming to consumers in 2012? Not likely, however a report in Korea Times has industry watchers talking about flexible screen technology anyway. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun told the publication his company is getting ``huge’’ orders for its line of flexible OLED displays.

When it comes to component manufacturers getting huge orders for their products, Apple immediately comes to mind as a likely buyer. Apple has been one of Samsung's largest customers for mobile displays despite their competition in the smartphone market and raging patent battles.

The next generation iPhone 5/6 has now been confirmed by three different major media sources to be designed with a larger 4-inch screen. Apple fans know that Steve Jobs was deeply involved in almost all of the company's major products, and according to a report in Bloomberg the upcoming iPhone was no different.

Once source told Bloomberg that Jobs "worked closely on the redesigned phone before his death in October." Apple was working on sixth-generation iPhone designs well before the launch of the iPhone 4S last fall.

Like clockwork, the next version of Apple's mobile operating system has been spotted by developers. The company routinely tests new versions of iOS ahead of release, and iOS 6 is no different. Some reports claim Apple will announce some of the firmware's features at WWDC in early June.

Apple is planning some significant changes to iOS 6, including replacing Google maps with its own software. Another reported change would allow developers to create applications that interact with Siri.