iPhone 5 Release Date: New iPad Debut Throws Light on Next iPhone's Features (PHOTOS)

Photo: Verizon

1. 4G LTE and NFC

The new iPad has become Apple's first device with 4G connectivity. The excited Apple fans can see the sign that the iPhone 5 will also support the super-fast network and NFC (near-field communication). "If the new iPad can make use of AT&T and Verizon's growing next-generation cellular networks, it's a fair bet the next iPhone will include that technology as well," according to Appolicious. The iPhone 5 "will be a significant step forward for Apple users, and a big boost in cellular data speeds when doing all kinds of mobile tasks and actions." "It would seem rather strange that Apple would add 4G LTE technology to the iPad without bringing it to the iPhone as well," the report added.

Photo: WeiPhone

2. No A5X Chip

The A5X Chip with superior graphics performance is packed in the latest iPad, but it won't be included in the iPhone 5, analysts told Macworld last Thursday. Linley Gwennap, founder and principal analyst of The Linley Group, believed that the A5X is specially for the new iPad's Retina Display with high resolution. “I think that this new chip is probably just for the iPad,” Gwennap said. “It looks like they planned ahead for this.” Nevertheless, there is also different voice. Barclays Hong Kong analyst Kirk Yang told Bloomberg shortly after the new iPad release, that the iPhone 5 might have quad-core A6 chip. "The chips used in the first two iPads, the A4 and A5, both made their way into a new iPhone soon after," Network World reported. "But the A5X, with its heavy focus on graphics, may not be ideal for smartphone use, and Apple may wait for a more power-efficient chip built with a new manufacturing process."

Photo: REUTERS

3. 4-inch LED Curved Display

Barclays Hong Kong analyst Kirk Yang suggested that the iPhone 5 will have Retina Display, which has similar display quality with the new iPad's, Eastern Morning Herald reported. Some rumors claimed that the new iPhone will have 367ppi, 1280 x 720 HD screen, but others predicted that a 4-inch LED curved display is more probable.

Photo: Courtesy | Facebook

4. Powerful Battery

It's certain that the tech giant will improve the next iPhone's battery life, since so far some users have complained about the iDevices' battery life issue. "A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices," Apple told Wired.com last November. Gwennap also agreed that the next generation iPhone will have more powerful battery.

Photo: Apple

5. iOS 6

Last Wednesday, the iOS 5.1 debuted with the new iPad. Naturally, Apple fans are expecting the iOS 6 to come along with the iPhone 5.

Photo: Reuters

6. New iPhone

Even though many fans expect the next generation iPhone to be named "iPhone 5", 9to5Mac reported on March 7 that it might be called "new iPhone," citing a "reliable source" that had informed it two weeks prior to the launch of the new iPad. Instead of naming the new tablet iPad 3, iPad HD or iPad 2S as widely speculated, Apple simply referred to it as "new iPad." It means the tech giant is ready to chop the number suffix off, when it names any new iDevice. Accordingly, the next iPhone could be called the "new iPhone."

Photo: flickr

7. Release Date

Some rumors claim the new iPhone will debut at Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Nevertheless, many Apple watchers don't agree, because it will give the current iPhone a very short product circle - only around 8 months. The anticipated device might be unveiled around September, or most likely in October. Some ome people are also wondering whether the next generation iPhone will unveil this year or not. The tech giant only incorporated minor changes in the iPhone 4S last year, so it might try to make radical redesign of the next iPhone, which consumes time. In other words, it is possible that Apple could make fans wait until 2013 before it unveils the new iPhone.