iPhone 5 News

If you look at the patents that have been granted recently, it would appear as though Apple is working on incorporating near field communication (NFC) in its upcoming iPhone. While that could be true, the new iPhone might not be using NFC for only sending payments to merchants. There have been reports suggesting that Apple might also use NFC for sending gifts from one iPhone to another.

Gifting

It is quite common to download and store digital media form various service providers online. In fact, downloading is more common now than physically purchasing or renting a DVD. However, copyright laws make it very difficult to transfer these files from one individual to another. Many distributors have systems in place from preventing or limiting the sharing of their products amongst users. Also, a lot of times, transferring copyright protected files from one device to the other leaves the file corrupted or inaccessible.

It is reported that Apple has come up with a unique way of transferring these files. It will provide a gift giving platform where individuals will be able to transfer files using a standardized way, which is by using iTunes.

One way in which the gifting process might work is by charging the sender for the gifting product through their iTunes account. Then the sender can transfer the file to the receiver by tapping or using NFC. This is feasible as long as the two devices are near each other. In case the sender’s account cannot be charged, then the receiver can pay for the file.

Other ways of using gifting

There are even more possibilities with the concept of gifting. In case the receiver is not nearby or if you want the gift to be a surprise, then you can place a request with iTunes. You will be charged for it and a gift file will be created for the receiver. The gift file will have various levels of protection like a DRM which will mean that the file would be authorized for playback on the device of the receiver.

iWallet

Recently, Apple won a very important patent for a technology called iWallet. This piece of technology gives users control over their subsidiary monetary accounts using their iPhone. Also, individuals will be able to send and receive transactions through their credit card with the help of thee NFC chip. With the help of iWallet, users will be able to have complete control over their credit card profile, and will be able to set parental control for their kids, in case they wish to use iWallet as well.

This is not all as iWallet allows users to keep a track of all of their iTunes transactions. It is possible that the iWallet might work in sync with other apps, which can be used to  buy movie tickets or access other similar features.

3D technology

Even though 3D technology is nothing new, very few devices get enough information from their surroundings to implement it correctly. However, it is rumored that Apple has a solution that might prove to be a lot more effective in this case.

Along with these  features,  you can expect multi-player gaming and an OLED display to be some of the other possible features for the upcoming iPhone 5.

There is probably no other device which generates as much hype and expectation amongst the masses as an iPhone. The probable next version of this device, called iPhone 5, is no different. It has only been a few months since Apple launched iPhone 4S and only a few weeks since the iPad 3 was launched. However, Apple customers are now eagerly waiting for the next wonder product.

Like previous iPhone releases, the release of iPhone 5 has also been surrounded by rumors and most of them are talking about liquidmetal and in-cell multi-touch display. It is understandable if most of you dismiss these rumors because they are rarely true. But this time, they may have some truth behind them.

Liquidmetal?

The first thing that might come to your mind on hearing liquidmetal is the movie Terminator 2. However, liquidmetal is not science fiction and is already present in Apple products (albeit in small quantities). In fact, Apple purchased the license to use the technology in 2010. It has been using the technology since then for making SIM ejector tools that accompany iPhones and iPads.

If you go to the website of the company that owns the patent for making liquidmetal, you will find that liquidmetal is an alloy. It is about twice as strong as Titanium and has the processing efficiency you would relate to plastic. Essentially, you have an alloy that can be used like plastic but provides tremendous strength. Zinc, copper, nickel, titanium, and certain other materials are used for creating this alloy using a patented bonding method. There are numerous customers for this special alloy, as it is useful in industrial coating, military, and medical industry.

People believe that Apple will be using the alloy for making the casing of iPhone 5. It is possible that this is completely false because even before the launch of iPhone 4S, people were anticipating a metal casing. However, liquidmetal actually exists and is being used in Apple products. It should not surprise you if the next iPhone sports a glossy metal finish instead of the fortified glass you are used to seeing.

In-cell multi-touch technology

This particular technology does not have as much support as the liquidmetal but is still a possibility. In-cell multi-touch technology is built inside the TFT LCD panel, unlike most of the current display technologies that are built over the panel. With the help of this technology, the phone can be lot thinner and lighter. What is even more impressive is that because of the removal of the additional layer, the screen will be brighter.

The problem with this type of panel has always been the price, but certain news sites have reported that the cost of production has reduced enough for Apple to move on to this technology. There have even been reports of Apple purchasing such touch panels from Toshiba and Sharp.

When you put the above mentioned prospects together, you have on of the best smartphones money can buy. However, with Apple products, you can never be sure till the device has actually been revealed.