The next generation in Apple’s flagship iPhone set will likely be announced on September 10. With news of the upcoming event circling the web, the rumors and speculation have iPhone enthusiasts and critics, journalists, techies and consumers, among others pondering about the features they’ll see on the iPhone 5S.
The release of the first iPhone in 2007 transformed the smartphone business. However, today, there’s heavy competition coming from companies like Samsung and LG, and the rise of the Android device has cut into Apple’s sales. Technology market research firm IDC reported last quarter that Apple’s share of the worldwide smartphone market dipped 3.4%, from a year earlier, according to the Huffington Post. Android devices dominated, snagging 79.3% of the market–a significant jump from 69.1% during the same period last year.
ReadWrite takes a look at five features you can expect from the next gen iPhone:
iPhone 5S & iPhone 5C
Bases on Apple’s typical naming convention, the year of the “S†is upon us.
Dan Rowinski writes: “The iPhone 5S is likely to be the new flagship, the one that will sell for $199 on a two-year contract from the wireless carriers in the United States. But there might be a new entry into Apple’s iPhone series this time around with a budget device people have been calling the “iPhone 5C.â€
Rumors indicate that the iPhone 5C may have a plastic back and come in an assortment of colors, similar to how the tech company jazzed up its iPod lineup in the 2000s. The iPhone C is also believed to have a price point of $99 on a two-year contract from the carriers.
Fingerprint Sensor
Apple is reportedly adding a fingerprint sensor to its next model, the iPhone 5S. The sensor, believed to be located on the round “home†button of the phone, may serve as the phone’s default unlocking mechanism.