The iPhone 6 has been discussed for well over a year, with some predicting that it would appear alongside the iPhone 5S. That wasn't to be, but a year later and the wait is finally over, as Apple is ready to reveal the handset to the world. In fact, it looks ready to reveal two brand-new iPhone models, the 4.7in iPhone 6 and the larger 5.5in iPhone 6L. The good news is that this year you can tune in to watch the live stream announcement from 6pm on the 9th September (see below to find out how).
While you're waiting for the official information, why not take a look at the all of the rumours that we've carefully collected over the last year or so. As outlined below, they should give you pretty good picture of what to expect from Apple. On top of the leaks, the announcement earlier this year of iOS 8, which will come pre-installed on the iPhone 6 has given us a really good idea of what to expect. Tune in after the event, as we'll have updated this page to include all of the official information.
How to watch the iPhone 6 live stream
For all of us no lucky enough to get invited to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6L launch eventin San Francisco on the 9th September, there's some good news at last: there's an official Apple live stream. This is the first time that the company has done this for an iPhone launch, previously only live streaming the keynote from WWDC. Currently just displaying a countdown clock, the site teases, "Live video from our special event will be right here. And so will a whole lot more."
You can tune into the event at 10am PDT, which works out at 6pm for all of us here in the UK. As usual, Apple only supports its own hardware and software, which means you need an iPhone, iPad or Mac running Safari, or an Apple TV in order to get the feed; if you've got a PC, Android Phone or other device, it's tough luck.
iPhone 6 name
With two different screen sizes expected in September, it's almost certain that Apple will have to come up with a new naming convention for the next iPhone to make it clear to customers that one model has a bigger display, but otherwise similar features. It doesn't make a lot of sense to call the larger phone the iPhone Air, after the larger iPad, and it's going to be a tough push calling the 4.7in handset the iPhone 6 Mini, as it will be larger than any other iPhone to date.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple could sidestep the traditional number/letter naming system used for all previous iPhones and call the larger phablet handset the iPhone 6L. The smaller 4.7in handset will almost certainly be called the iPhone 6, clearly differentiating the two handsets by name and making it clear both are brand new models. Apple has previous form with this regard, launching the colourful iPhone 5C alongside the iPhone 5S.
It may be that the larger iPhone is called the iPhone 6 Plus. Reported by Macotakara, the new name will distinguish between the two models. Apparently, the name iPhone Plus has been around for a while, although it was originally mistranslated from the Chinese into the iPhone Math (remember those rumours). To us, both the iPhone 6L and iPhone 6 Plus make sense, but we don't have long now to wait to find out for certain.
One-handed mode
A problem with making the phone larger is that it can then become trickier to operate one-handed - something that Apple has always been proud of with its handsets. As a result it looks as though the iPhone 6 will have a one hand mode, according to the New York Times. According to a couple of Apple employees, the new mode is an optional feature of iOS 8, which will make some interface tweaks in order to make the handset and apps easier to use with just one hand. Unfortunately, we don't have any more details than that and we're going to have to wait a couple of days to see how this feature will work and what it will change.
Video leak reveals all
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6L may not be that much of a surprise, if a video by Russian YouTube user Rozetked is to be believed. In the video, which you can see below, Rozetked claims to have an actual iPhone 6. It's certainly a high-quality production and looks as though it could be the real thing. In the video, which has English subtitles, Rozetked confirms that the power button has moved to the side, a scratch-resistant liquid metal Apple logo (the case is aluminium) and NFC is included. Apparently, sapphire glass has not been used, though. The phone is considerably slimmer than the iPhone 5S, which has led to the camera protruding slightly from the case - not a look that we're hugely fond of at the moment.
NFC
It looks as though Apple has finally relented and is including NFC in the iPhone 6. According to Bloomberg, Apple has signed deals with American Express, Visa and MasterCard to bring a wallet app to the phone allowing for contactless payment. It's quite the U-turn for Apple, which has always mocked the technology before. The move certainly makes sense, though. Contactless is available in a lot of stores now, while Apple's own iBeacon payment system isn't very prevelent. With Apple's clout and the lack of competition in the UK, contactless payments could be a nice little money earner for the company, while users are likely to benefit from TouchID securing transactions.
Release date
We always thought that a September launch date for the iPhone 6 was the most likely, with Apple waiting a year after the iPhone 5S. We now have official confirmation with the invites going out for an event in San Francisco on the 9th September 2016. Most of Apple's invites give away a crucial bit of detail, but this one cryptically states, "Wish we could say more." It should mean that we get the actual handset on Friday 19th September, if previous schedules are maintained: the iPhone 5S was announced on the 10th September 2013 and released on the 20th September 2013.
Screen resolution
A lot has been written about the potential screen resolutions of the two new phones. In order to keep its Retina-class displays, it's clear that Apple has to increase resolution with screen size. While we pretty much know that there will be a 4.7in iPhone 6 and a 5.5in iPhone 6L, we've not yet had any definitive information on screen size. Full HD was put forwards early on, although it doesn't feel very Apple and doesn't follow the pattern of the previous phones.
More recently, 9to5mac has reported that both phones will have 1,704x960 resolution screens. It might seem like an odd resolution, but it kind of makes sense if you look at what Apple's done in the past. The original iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS all had a resolution of 480x320; the iPhone 4 kept the same size screen but jumped resolution to 960x640; and the iPhone 5S increased screen size, but just added pixels to the top and bottom of the 4's screen to get its resolution of 1,136x640.
With all of these changes, the big benefit was that there was little impact on developers. With Retina, Apple quadrupled the resolution (2x vertical and 2x horizontal), but this was to make everything look sharper and you couldn't fit more on screen. In other words, one pixel on the original iPhone equalled four pixels on the new phone, so developers were still working with a nominal resolution of 480x320. It's similar with Retina MacBooks, where the screen may act, as say a 1,440x900 screen, but it's real resolution is 2,880x1,600.
With the iPhone 5's widescreen resolution, Apple merely gave developers more vertical space. Dividing its resolution by two gives a nominal resolution of 568x320. It's on this premise that 9to5mac works what it thinks will be the new screen resolutions. Taking this 'base' resolution, 9to5mac now believes that Apple will use a x3 retina resolution, giving us the 1,704x960. In other words, all iPhone 5/5S apps would work properly, but newer apps could be written to take advantage of the even higher resolutions. Pixel-density wise it all makes sense, too: the 4.7in phone would have 416PPI and the 5.5in phone would have 356PPI.
So far, so good, but Daring Fireball says otherwise. Based on some pretty thorough maths and the fact that the most important thing about a smartphone's touchscreen is having large enough touchpoints (44 points), he has come up with two new resolutions: 1,334x750 (326PPI) for the 4.7in and 2,208x1x242 (461PPI) for the 5.5in. We've been arguing along the same lines for a long time, although we think it's still possible that the iPhone 6 will have four-times the resolution of the iPhone 5S.
iPhone 6 camera
For the iPhone 5S Apple upped the physical size of its 8-megapixel sensor, meaning that each pixel gets more light, but it didn't add more resolution. For the iPhone 6 Apple needs another improvement, with several options open. Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) was one possibility raised early in the game, with the technology used to reduce blur caused by camera shake. The first information came from The China Post, quoting from Nomura Securities, stating that Apple "may adopt an 8 mega-pixel (MP) camera with improved optical image stabilisation on its upcoming handset, instead of the 16 MP upgrade anticipated by industry observers".
There may be differences in camera capability between the two iPhone 6 models, though. According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, reported by AppleInsider, only the 5.5in model will have OIS technology built in. This is largely down to size, price and yields, with Apple likely only to have enough OIS components to fit the larger phone. It would also allow Apple to distinguish between the two products more easily.
For the 4.7in iPhone 6, Apple is said to be installing a new "middle-mount open-loop voice coil motor" to control its camera. This is an upgrade from the component used in the iPhone 5S, which should allow for faster and more accurate focusing, plus it will use less power. However, it remains to be seen how well it will compete against the latest Android phones, which use even faster closed-loop voice coil motors.
One of the biggest rumours was that the super-slim iPhone 6 was too thin for the camera. A new image posted on Ithome would seem to confirm that, showing what's supposedly the iPhone 6 with a camera lens that protrudes slightly from the case. Our initial response is that this image is fake. Come on, this is Apple and design is absolutely key: we just can't see the company putting out a handset with a camera that sticks out in an ungainly fashion.
Apple may also be considering going in a completely different direction. Reported by 9to5Mac, a patent has been granted to Apple for a lightfield camera, allowing people to refocus their shots after they've been taken. The technology works by capturing light fields, rather than a single 2D capture of the moment. The net result is that a photo is no longer a fixed capture, but one where you can select a part of the picture to completely refocus the image.
We've already seen the technology in use with the Lytro Light Field camera. It's an interesting product, using software to let you choose the point of focus after the image has already been capture. The HTC One (m8) also has similar technology.
iPhone 6, will it have sapphire glass?
One of the big rumours surrounding both iPhone 6 models, was that they were designed to be tougher, even practically unbreakable, thanks to new sapphire glass screens, which are a lot tougher than Gorilla Glass. In fact, sapphire glass, a man-made material, has a value of 9 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, putting it just behind diamond. Then, Apple invested a staggering amount of money into GT Advanced Technologies in order to produce sapphire glass for its new handsets. Surely we were onto a winner here?
As usual, a ton of competing rumours have come out. We'll wade through them here to see what's likely. Recently, industry analyst TrendForce has claimed that there will be no sapphire glass for the iPhone 6, as production hasn't ramped up. The company claims that global sapphire glass production has seen no uplift and that Apple's manufacturers haven't even got any material to work with. That would seem to be a fairly major sticking point.
However, rumours of sapphire glass' short supply may be a bit premature. According to iMore, GT Advanced is ready to start volume production of sapphire glass, after completed its new facility.
"The build-out of our Arizona facility, which has involved taking a 1.4 million square foot facility from a shell to a functional structure as well as the installation of sapphire growth and fabrication equipment, is nearly complete and we are commencing the transition to volume production," said GT Advanced.
Then, we have a video demonstrating how tough sapphire glass is, with alleged real iPhone 6 parts. In a video, posted by Marques Brownlee. He claims to have a real, off-the-manufacturing-line 4.7in iPhone 6 front panel, which he puts through a series of tests. It wouldn't scratch with keys or a knife, or crack when stabbed with a knife. It wouldn't snap or shatter when bent, either. In fact, Brownlee states in the video that he was completely incapable of breaking the glass under his own steam. He couldn't do a proper drop test, as the panel didn't come attached to a phone, so there's not the true weight behind it. However, if the examples of his attacks are enough to go by, the sapphire glass should protect the iPhone 6 against most common accidents.
So, we know that GT Advanced is ready for production and we know that a tough sapphire glass front panel is already out there. All we need to know for definite is that production is going to be at a high enough volume to meet the iPhone 6's launch date. We'd like to think that Apple can pull this one off, but we're going to have to wait a bit longer to find out for certain.
iPhone 6 light-up rear logo
Recent images, posted by Uswitch with the help of industry insider Sonny Dickson, are allegedly of the rear shell. The image has a cut-out for the Apple logo, covered by a thin plastic insert. This is apparently because light will shin through the case and light up the logo, much in the same way as on Apple's MacBook laptops. Although it was merely a design choice on the MacBook, it has been alleged that the light can be controlled on the iPhone 6 in order to display notifications. However, with no internal components visible, this can't be proved or denied at the moment. All we know is that the shell pictured looks similar to those we've seen in previous leaks.
iPhone 6 haptic feedback
This rumour has been doing the rounds for a while, but it's possible that the iPhone 6 will have improved haptic feedback. According to the latest rumours, a new haptic feedback motor would allow the phone to send different feedback depending on where on the screen you touch it. We're not convinced by this one, as haptic feedback hasn't been used in any iPhone and Apple already has a more advanced haptic feedback patent.
iPhone 6 reversible USB cable
It's far from confirmed yet, but it appears that Apple has developed a reversible Lightning to USB cable in time for the iPhone 6 launch later this year. According to industry insider Sonny Dickson, the company has designed a cable that will work with existing USB ports, rather than force customers to switch to an entirely new design (as proposed by the USB consortium with its reversible USB 3.0 type C cable). It would certainly make it easier to plug your iPhone into an iMac without having to spin the entire system around just to see the USB ports.
If cables are being manufactured now, it seems highly likely that they will arrive alongside a new iPhone, but with new iPads also rumoured for launch in the Autumn Apple may wait to launch the new cable alongside an iPad Air 2 instead of the iPhone 6. As ever, this is merely a rumour until we hear otherwise.
iPhone 6 design and build quality
Apple typically uses the same design for two products, before trying something dramatically different. As we've already had the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S using the same case, this time around it's time for the iPhone 6 to try something different. All of the rumours say that the iPhone 6 is going to take its design cues from the iPod Nano and the iPhone 5C.
This means we're likely to see the range of colours and smoother, more curved design from the iPhone 5C, compared to the iPhone 5S, which had rather harsh edges. However, while that phone was made from plastic, Apple's high-end models are made from metal. For this reason, we're likely to see the same anodised aluminium body as used on the iPod Nano.
Leaks have been coming thick and fast, with alleged shots of the handset now online. Alongside all of the usual, blurred shots, allegedly taken in the Foxconn factory are a few more interesting things. First, Taiwanese actor and racing driver, Jimmy Lin, posted a shot of the iPhone 6 on his Weibo page. Now, we'd normally dismiss this kind of thing, but Lin also leaked the iPhone 5C the first time around, so he could be right this time.
Next, a video has recently leaked and been posted on Nowhereelse.fr. It purports to show an iPhone 6 'dummy' model. In other words, an empty case made from the production molds, designed to show what the phone will look like and check compatibility with cases and other accessories. The video is surprisingly clear for a leak, with none of the usual blurring and obfuscation of details. You can watch the video below and work out for yourself how realistic you think it looks.
More recently, the iPhone 6 rear shell has leaked on MacRumours, via Feld & Volk, a Russian manufacturer that creates custom iPhone and iPads made from high-quality components. Supposedly taken from the manufacturing line, this is a real Apple part, not a mock-up. As well as showing the size and shape of the new handset, it shows that the Apple logo is cut-out from the case; it's been rumoured that this could be for NFC, but with only the shell of a case to go by, this is impossible to tell. Check out the video below to see all round the case.
A second case leak looks similar to the one shown in the video above, only this one is much darker. Best guess so far, is that this is a replacement colour for the existing space gray.
iPhone 6 battery
Sohu.com is reporting that the iPhone 6 is set to have a bigger battery. The 4.7in version is said to have a battery of between 1,800mAh and 1,900mAh, while the larger 5.5in version is said to have a much larger 2,500mAh battery. Compared to the 1,560mAh battery installed in the iPhone 5S, that's an increase of between 15 and 20 per cent over the iPhone 5S for the smaller iPhone 6, and a 60 per cent increase for the larger model. We wouldn't get too excited, though. The biggest power drain on a phone is the screen and a larger screen uses a lot more power. As a result, we're expecting both iPhone 6 models to retain the same battery life as the iPhone 5S, with the possibility of a small improvement, based on a more efficient Apple A8 SoC.
iPhone 6 TouchID
Launched with the iPhone 5S, TouchID is Apple's fingerprint sensor. It was surprisingly missing from the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display, but looks set to come back big-style for this year, appearing on the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3. In a research note for investors KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the company strongly believes that Apple is planning to expand use of the feature.
"Apple's Touch ID module should see shipments soar 233 per cent in 2014. We believe every new iOS device launched this year will be equipped with Touch ID, including 4.7in and 5.5in new iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 with Retina display. Considering shipments of new products and iPhone 5S sales last longer than in 2013, we forecast unit sales of the fingerprint sensor module to grow 233 per cent to 120mn for 2014."
Price
Apple typically releases its new models at the same price as the old ones. If that holds out, then we'd expect the 16GB model to cost £549, 32GB model to cost £629, the 64GB model £709. A larger screen could see prices go up, though.
Susquehanna analyst Chris Caso, speaking to AllThingsD, predicted that there could be a $50 to $100 premium for a larger iPhone 6, compared to the 4in iPhone 5s. However, there is potential good news. As Apple is said to be planning two screen sizes, it may be that the 4.7in model costs the same as the current iPhone, with only the larger phablet costing more. We're going to have to wait until much closer to launch to have any true idea of pricing, though.
Beware dodgy fake photos
In the clamour to find out the latest iPhone 6 rumours and news there are bound to be some duff rumours. While speculation is all well and good, sometimes stories are so laughably fake they deserve a kicking. The image below was posted on lots of sites, claiming to be the iPhone 6 and its retail box. Except the photos were so obviously fake they weren't even worth reporting.
For one the alleged retail box showed a completely different phone running iOS 7, when Apple will almost certainly launch the iPhone 6 with iOS 8, which is being rolled out this autumn. The box was also clearly printed by someone at home, with white and grey lines showing where the printer had struggled. The iPhone 6 logo added on the side is also obviously Photoshopped.
