Rumors surrounding the various new gadgets that Apple is likely to launch this autumn are intensifying. A fresh iPhone and iPad are both on the cards, along with a few other potential releases. This means that those who sell Apple items are going to be busy in the next quarter.
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As the end of the year approaches and the summer fades away, tech fans will be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of new Apple gadgets being unveiled for the first time.
Although this manufacturer is typically secretive about its upcoming devices, a number of recent leaks have given customers a glimpse of what they can expect, so here is a quick roundup of the rumours and speculation.
iPhone 5
The iPhone 5, which will actually be the sixth iteration of this device, is going to be revealed at some point in September, with sources in China and Taiwan already revealing alleged images of the handset in action.
It is reported to have a four inch touchscreen display, giving it much more screen real estate than its 3.5 inch-packing predecessors. As a result it will have a longer body, but will manage to be thinner than the iPhone 4S.
There are conflicting reports about whether or not Apple has endowed the iPhone 5 with NFC (near field communication) technology, which would allow it to be used to make contactless payments.
Adding an NFC chip would be sensible because Google is already championing this technology with select Android devices, but Apple could help to bring it to a mainstream audience.
Observers expect that the new iPhone will have a multi-core processor, with some suggesting that it will stick with a dual core chip rather than taking the quad core route in order to keep up with Android rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy S3.
iPad Mini
The iPad Mini is a much talked about tablet device which, like the iPhone 5, will represent the first time that Apple has changed the screen size within its particular range.
The 9.7 inch Retina Display of the third generation iPad is large and detailed, but seven inch tablets such as the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire have been carving their own niche. Apple’s response is reported to be a new iPad with a 7.85 inch touchscreen display.
Apple reseller sites could be flooded with orders for the iPad Mini this autumn if indeed it does launch. It will be interesting to see how it is priced, because other seven inch tablets are typically targeted at the more affordable end of the market, with both Google and Amazon selling their gadgets almost at cost.
Apple’s premium branding might prohibit this approach, although there are some rumors suggesting that the iPad Mini will possess roughly the same processing power and capabilities as the iPad 2.
Other Devices
Elsewhere it is thought that Apple will be releasing a new iPod model and some new laptop and desktop computer options, which means that the run up to the festive season will be very busy indeed.
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