iPhone 5S Reportedly Slated for March Production with June/July Launch

I have been an iPhone user since the 3g, and the 5 was the first time where I did not have the "I've got to have that!" mystique. As a matter of fact, I am done with the iPhone. I just don't give a rip that the iPhone 5 is perfectly put together from 200 possible pieces, what I care about is functionality. I will toss the dice on the Galaxy S4 for a while (when that comes out)

There just seems to be nothing innovating coming out of Cupertino as of late. I am pissed that they dropped the 17" MBP and even more pissed that they decided to make the current generation of MBP, non user upgradable. I sure hope that when my '09 17" MBP dies that they will still have 17" refurbs because I don't want to have to move back to Windows, but I refuse to be shackled to a 15" laptop.

On a positive note for Apple, I really like the new iMac's, sleek and sexy... to bad I can't say that about anything else they have currently.

Ah, the REAL reason for slashing iPhone 5 part orders...

So thinking about where Apple might head with this ...

I don't believe they'll change the exterior design/form factor in a single generation, though we could see colors or some fab/materials change vs. the current model.

The RFC is very good, maybe some fine tuning, or one thing that's really lacking is a strong flash, like Xenon, though that requires a good bit of power.

The A6 is still new, still very fast, is packaged with 1MB RAM, a great GPU, has lower power reqs - maybe a reduction in size, especially if that translates into marketing some extreme battery life.

There's not a ton of new tech to introduce: NFC or something NFC-like (for example, the Qualcomm device-to-device tech), maybe if they push further into device based commerce, some kind of better security, like a fingerprint scanner (recall Apple engaged with a company with this several months back), possibly some kind of AirDrop for content/file exchange (though the current WiFi chip may be capable of this).

FSMBP said:

That means we will have iOS 7 sooner than later! (Based off history that a new version of iOS is released when the new iPhone is released).

Click to expand...

Maybe...maybe not. Depends on if they preview it only or plan on releasing it before the 6. Considering it's going to be a new OS completely with Ive design...I think you might see a separate event for it.

----------

simplemind said:

I have been an iPhone user since the 3g, and the 5 was the first time where I did not have the "I've got to have that!" mystique. As a matter of fact, I am done with the iPhone. I just don't give a rip that the iPhone 5 is perfectly put together from 200 possible pieces, what I care about is functionality. I will toss the dice on the Galaxy S4 for a while (when that comes out)

There just seems to be nothing innovating coming out of Cupertino as of late. I am pissed that they dropped the 17" MBP and even more pissed that they decided to make the current generation of MBP, non user upgradable. I sure hope that when my '09 17" MBP dies that they will still have 17" refurbs because I don't want to have to move back to Windows, but I refuse to be shackled to a 15" laptop.

On a positive note for Apple, I really like the new iMac's, sleek and sexy... to bad I can't say that about anything else they have currently.

Click to expand...

Many of us refuse to be shacked to that boat anchor... known as the 17" MBP.

Yawn. Man I love my apple products and hate android, but APPLE HAS TO DO SOMETHING more innovative if they want to keep people's attention. The last iPhone that caught my attention was the 4. The 4s, the 5 and the "new" 5s just aren't exciting. Give us something new here.

Key improvement will hopefully be better 4G support. The iPhone 5 doesn't support many of the frequency ranges in operation or being planned in Europe and I imagine sales will suffer if they miss the boat there. Presume its still too early for faster wifi

I am still on the 4S just becuase I loved the form factor. I would love a new phone but I am not getting stuck with the 5S when the new design comes out "6 months" later. Oh well, gonna be rocking the 4S for a while it seems. At least it still looks brand new... I may just do the "I am keeping this till it dies" thing... A big revamp in the OS would change my tune though.

yet another Something-Gate in the making

Would take something very special for me to pay an early upgrade fee this time around. A screen size like the Galaxy IIIs might do it.

jvmxtra said:

So it's time for apple to step up and move to iphone 6 instead of 5s crap. Look at the stock value. It's time to change things. I don't care what anyone thinks that whatever apple does is always correct.. It clearly is not. Time to shake things up.

Click to expand...

I'll agree with that if and when I see an earnings report that shows iPhone sales in a quarter were less than the prior year's quarter. Not saying they're always right, but there's so many people who are saying the sky is falling when so far, the sales reports have not supported that sentiment. The people who are saying the sky is falling tend to be tech geeks and analysts.

Feb/March 2013: Updated iPads, iOS 6.1 released with a few unannounced features, iOS 7 previewed

Summer 2013: iPhone 5s, iOS 7 released

ManchildB said:

Yawn. Man I love my apple products and hate android, but APPLE HAS TO DO SOMETHING more innovative if they want to keep people's attention. The last iPhone that caught my attention was the 4. The 4s, the 5 and the "new" 5s just aren't exciting. Give us something new here.

Click to expand...

agreed, still on my launch day iphone 4 and am not compelled at all to upgrade. I really could care less when they throw in a faster chip to make 3d games I never play run smoother. You know they don't have a lot new to sell you when they focus marketing and launch details on things like the "sapphire crystal lens cover".

I predict a "5S" will be a unified LTE phone that work across all currently used LTE bands worldwide. Heck, maybe they'll even throw in an extra radio so Verizon iPhone users will be able to talk over CDMA and surf over LTE simultaneously.

Sure, some people want a larger screen; but until iOS does true multitasking (having multiple apps on-screen simultaneously), I really don't see the necessity for a 4.5" or 5" display just because Android hardware makers are going crazy with the phablets.

The larger display iPhone will almost inevitably come in time; but Apple's made too big a deal about people still being able to reach across the screen with their thumb with the iPhone 5. I can't see them suddenly abandoning that idea nine or ten months later.

It seems more likely to me that Apple would release a larger iPhone in tandem with the next big step up -- iPhone 6? I could see them offering a 4" phone alongside a 4.5" or 5" phone but have the internals be identical. That way, when you go into a store, you basically have three choices to make: color, storage capacity, and screen size. Well, four choices if you're not buying unlocked and have to select a carrier.

And iPhone 7 is 5" and iPhone 8 is 5.3".

These analysts need to lay off the bong.

If the iPhone 5S was to be released in June/July, then we should be seeing an iOS preview event in late March/April. Guess well see!

FSMBP said:

That means we will have iOS 7 sooner than later! (Based off history that a new version of iOS is released when the new iPhone is released).

Click to expand...

Which is not necesserily a good thing...

Apple Maps rushed to replace google Maps in iOS 6 being an example.


Apple need to impress with iOS 7. Another maps disaster and they will be handing Blackberry introducing BB10 soon a lot of wiggle room, and the people moving to Android or have moved to android won't think about moving back to iOS..


As for iPhone 5S , other than maybe a redesigned shell so less issues regarding scratches, I'm not sure a faster CPU in the iPhone 5S will be much of a seller. No one is complaining about the iPhone 5 being slow, its as fast as the best phones out there, all the issues are related to the casing and iOS 6 (and its now over familiarity).

They also need to address the price of the iPhone. One of the mst compelling persuaders for consumers to move to the SGS3 and kin this generation was the fact it was often free on most carriers 24 month contracts. Whilst the iPhone 5 was nearly €300 on the cheapest (€35-45) 24 month contracts.

People (the mass - not apple loyalists) loved their 'smartphones' not necesserily the iPhone. Due an upgrade and faced with SGS3 for free or €300 for an iPhone 5 is it any surprise the SGS3 has done so well.

Cost and Android finally becoming a decent, viable and stable OS with ICS and Jelly Bean for the masses were also contributors, alongside some really good marketing by Samsung.

Apple pricing for unsubsidised phones with the iPhone 5 is just off the scale compared to competition, and even in comparison to previous iPhones.

iPhone 5S now with new and improved Apple Maps! No longer do you have to wind up in the middle of the mojave desert just looking for a papa johns pizza.. now you can come within 3000 yards of it!

MMOTotal said:

So it begins...

iOS 7 is still the thing to watch out for however (for me at least)

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm more interested in software innovation than hardware. I get excited after every new iOS device and then realize it's basically the same since the OS hasn't changed in any substantial way for years now.

The iPhone 5 is the best selling smartphone in history. Further, it looks as though iPhones accounted for the vast majority of US sales this past holiday. The current design is beautiful, nothing else even close. I think Apple simply has to keep doing what they are doing. If there is an iPhone mini/nano, it will be a high quality smaller product (think iPad mini) at a lower no contract price, probably $329. Everyone will scream about it being too expensive and it will go on to dominate the market as did the iPad mini.

If media and analyst confusion is causing this stock to drop - which it is - and if the media is flatly wrong about why iPhone 5 component orders have been cut, why hasn't Apple issued a press release to set the record straight?

Apple's silence on the matter may be more revealing than anything else. I take silence to mean that the stories are true and Apple cannot counter the media claims at this point. That bodes very badly for Apple.

God no! Not a cheap iPhone! Remember when Apple was about to go bankrupt? They started releasing cheap crap, licensing out Mac OS...etc. A cheap iPhone is nonsense!

Why can't Apple innovate anymore?

We get it, the iPhone was a big hit. Magnificent device! But it came out over 5 years ago and since then all we've had is slightly larger or tweaked versions of it since then. Sure, from the iPhone we've gotten the iPad, the iPad mini, the iPod Touch, and to a lesser extent the many iterations of iOS... but I really think Apple is pushing the limits of how long they can milk this thing.

Yeah, another iPhone. Lighter and faster than the last one. Big whop. How about a new Mac Pro?

simplemind said:

I have been an iPhone user since the 3g, and the 5 was the first time where I did not have the "I've got to have that!" mystique. As a matter of fact, I am done with the iPhone. I just don't give a rip that the iPhone 5 is perfectly put together from 200 possible pieces, what I care about is functionality. I will toss the dice on the Galaxy S4 for a while (when that comes out)

There just seems to be nothing innovating coming out of Cupertino as of late. I am pissed that they dropped the 17" MBP and even more pissed that they decided to make the current generation of MBP, non user upgradable. I sure hope that when my '09 17" MBP dies that they will still have 17" refurbs because I don't want to have to move back to Windows, but I refuse to be shackled to a 15" laptop.

On a positive note for Apple, I really like the new iMac's, sleek and sexy... to bad I can't say that about anything else they have currently.

Click to expand...

I agree. The first Apple product I got was the iPod Nano first generation back in Fall 2005. After that I was buying Apple laptops, playing around with old Apple computers, buying multiple iPods, Apple cinema displays, keyboard, and mice and even trying the iPhone 4s for a month or so.

Turns out the iPhone just wasn't for me. I figured out I really like two Apple product lines : the iPod (Classic!) and the Macbook Pro (13 or 15). I have a 3.5 year old 15 Macbook Pro and I ended up selling my desktop setup (cinema display hooked to the macbook pro) to build a gaming Windows PC.

I contemplated buying a new Mac Pro desktop OR a 17 inch Macbook Pro but Apple has pretty much ignored the Mac Pro for a few years and like you said ditched the 17 inch Macbook pro. When this laptop goes (and because I really like Apple's standard Macbook Pro line) I'll get a mid range 13 or 15 inch because no one makes laptops like Apple.

All that said, I totally agree Apple is lacking on innovation. The iPhone is dull and nothing unique anymore AND there are better phones out there. The iconic product lines that Apple was known for they keep butchering or ignoring (iPod Classic, Mac Pro, 17 inch MBP) and then they release a desktop without any optical drives! They are too hyper focused on iPhones and iPads, hopefully they don't forget their roots in their great OS, computers, and the iPods that saved them originally. Of course dropping "Computer" from their name a few years ago should have been a sign but either way I think Apple is relying too heavily on iPhones and iPads. They need to look at companies like RIM to see innovation must remain, you get lazy for a few years not changing things up you'll regret it later.

simplemind said:

There just seems to be nothing innovating coming out of Cupertino as of late. I am pissed that they dropped the 17" MBP and even more pissed that they decided to make the current generation of MBP, non user upgradable.

Click to expand...

No one probably bought the 17" MBP other than you. That thing was a behemoth, and they upped the screen resolution on the 15" to exceed it.

Patriot24 said:

March 2013: Updated iPads, iOS 6.1 released with a few unannounced features, iOS 7 previewed

Summer 2013: iPhone 5s, iOS 7 released

Click to expand...

We have heard of the iPhone 5S going into possible production in March, and yet we have heard nothing about any iPads being in production NOW to give any merit to an iPad refresh in March.