As the iPhone 5 release date is supposedly approaching (considering we have not yet received any significant news from Apple about the device), the rumors have significantly gone down. The new Galaxy SIII from Samsung has been creating waves across the mobile community and it will not be surprising if the new iPhone release date will be pushed forward by a couple of months to counter those challenges from Samsung.
Rumors that the new iPhone will be released on the iPhone’s 5th anniversary may be safely ignored now as the day is past. But the buzz hasn’t died down still and here is the rumor round-up of the new iPhone for the last one month.
Wireless Charging
The new iPhone supposedly supports wireless charging. This might not be a fantasy considering a couple of companies have already devised ways in which gadgets can be wirelessly charged. They use the mutual induction property of metals for charging the gadgets and the manufacturing companies have already made them commercially available. All you have to do is be within the fixed range of the charging device and your mobile, or any other device for that matter, will keep getting charged.
We will have to wait and see if Apple is adopting the same technology, or has some up with a new way of wirelessly charging the new iPhone, if it features wireless charging.
NFC E-Wallet and Other Associated NFC Services
It has been predicted that the new iPhone will have a NFC (Near Field Communications) chip which will allow it to have services like the e-wallet. E-Wallet is a facility that allows you to pay at retail outlets or at restaurants by just tapping your phone with the receiver which is located with the dealer. This will minimize the usage of credit and debit cards and also add more dimensionality to the phone. The principle behind this technology is that both the transmitter and the receiver should be within a minimum range of each other for the e-transfer to take place and the UI will allow you to decide how much money you are transferring.
This service has been criticized by experts for the lack of safety and security features but the manufactures have been steadfastly defending it, claiming that it is very safe. We will have to wait and see if Apple will take the gamble and add this feature on the new iPhone or not.
The Battery Dilemma
The new iPhone will have a new and powerful battery which will give it a longer operational and standby time. However, a rumor has it that the batteries being manufactured in the new China plant are not up to standards, and only 25% of them are meeting the Apple benchmark. This is a serious issue considering the new iPhone is supposedly coming with never before seen features, which would require the backup of a strong battery. Apple’s consumers have been happy with the battery till date (ignoring the small phase they had where Apple replaced batteries having a particular serial number) and a sub standard will definitely bring down the iPhone’s reputation.
