The iPhone 5 is said to be coming later on this year and as speculation all year round has suggested, it looks like we may be treated to a new larger display screen bigger than 3.5-inches. A lot of people have been waiting for a 4-inch iPhone to match the vast collection of 4.xx Android devices that are available and now it looks like Apple may be willing to deliver.

Further strength behind this claim can be seen in the source of the story, as Bloomberg are the ones to make this public knowledge. As you are probably aware with previous Apple rumors, Bloomberg reports are usually pretty accurate so we don’t blame you if you are now starting to get excited.

Aside from a possible 4-inch display, we’re hearing that Apple are also planning to redesign their iPhone for its sixth generation appearance, with even the man himself Steve Jobs thought to have been a key part of the redesign process. Again this would be a big surprise for many consumers, who have grown used to seeing the current design for the iPhone 4 and then repeated for the 4S. Having said that, a redesign is definitely on the cards since a new design happened for the iPhone 4 after having the same curved design for the iPhone 3G and 3GS.

One interesting thing to note though – Is a redesign coming purely because it falls in line with Apple’s release process, or is a redesign coming simply to compete with 4-inch Android devices? If the next iPhone is a certain purchase for you later on this year, let us know your thoughts on a bigger screen and a brand new design. Will you be sad to see the end of the iPhone 4 form factor, or happy that change appears to be on the way?

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If you’re an iPhone 4S owner – your idea of the perfect 6th generation release date would be different to those who skipped the 4S, which means there are those that want a launch at WWDC 2012, and there are others that state “no sooner than October this year“. Personally I’ve upgraded the iPhone every year for 5 generations, and the last two models have had faults from release – battery and signal – but we still plan to buy the so-called iPhone 5 as long as it’s a major upgrade.

What does the iPhone 5 need to offer to be classed as a major upgrade? New iPhone display rumors point towards an OLED, which matches up with Apple’s focus on making the screen a top priority on iPhones and iPads. It’s well known that an OLED display can help battery life and give a much brighter screen, and requires less space considering how thin they are, but concerns are raised when looking to see if Samsung could handle the demand Apple would want for their millions of iPad and iPhone owners. You can read more about Samsung’s plans for its new display business here, and if you want to learn the differences between LCD and OLED you can do so on Samsung’s blog here.

We’re likely to see the iPhone 5 display changed in other ways as well, which includes making it bigger in a way that only increases the form factor slightly. Not all iPhone owners want a bigger phone and some of these people point to no Android phone being able to sell anywhere near as many iPhones, which kills the idea of wanting to compete with bigger screened Android phones. The balance of a bigger iPhone display and a device not much bigger than the 4S model can be attained, and this would be done with using edge-to-edge display technology mixed with a few other improvements,

Apple is known for listening to its users and also for not designing iOS devices around competitors, especially because Apple like to take technology and package it in their own unique way, which is one of the reasons the brand is so successful. With this in mind – as an iPhone owner – I also hope the bigger display comes with a slightly bigger form factor, although we’d love to know if you’re happy for the current iPhone design to change?

We can also expect to see LTE on the new iPhone; especially considering the new iPad 3 has this feature. More megapixels and raw processing power are also expected with a better GPU for gaming, and that will also help the bigger display provide a better mobile gaming experience.

When do you want the next iPhone to release and do you have “dealbreaker” features that need to be included? You might also want to read about iPhone display priority over a quad-core chip, and watch out for those dodgy iPhone 5 tester videos on YouTube.

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The Retina display on the new iPad makes a world of difference thanks to a much bigger screen, when compared to the iPhone, and this is backed by quad core graphics and as seen here in our earlier review the graphics are a major step-up. When it comes to the new 6th generation iPhone Apple cannot get away with a minor update like they did with the iPhone 4S, especially when it comes to the design of the device.

What constitutes a worthy upgrade for the next iPhone? It might not come at WWDC 2012, but you can certainly expect a real “iPhone 5” this year, although what could be classed as a worthy upgrade will be different for each of us. You can expect LTE thanks to the iPad 3 getting this feature, although this news is not a big deal for the UK considering availability and how long it would take to cover most of the UK once it releases.

Give us massive improvements in battery life and screen size – two features that would sell an iPhone 5 to us would be extremely improved battery life, and of course a bigger screen size. The key point with the screen size is to get the balance right by not creating a big phone like some Android devices are, so this can be done by increasing the form factor slightly and having an edge-to-edge display.

If you own an iPhone 4 or 4S model, what do you consider an iPhone 5 upgrade worth buying into? By improving the quality of graphics and display the iPad 3 changed in a big way, but the same can happen with a new iPhone if the screen was increased in size smartly with enhanced graphics. Is this enough for you, and how would you like the design to change?

In Summary: Apple need to make big changes if they want 4S owners to upgrade, and you only need to look at the photo above this article that we took holding the iPhone 4S with an Apple bumper on, which shows a lot of wasted space that could be filled with an edge-to-edge display and helps keep form factor small for the pocket. Recent screen rumors can be read here in an earlier article.

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In the coming months we will no doubt begin to hear many rumors not only concerning the release date for the 6th-genertaion iPhone but also its hardware specs and more importantly to some, the design of the exterior. We do find it interesting that so many people out there have differing approaches when it comes to how the new iPhone 5 will look.

Over the years we have seen that Apple likes to be very different when it comes to what their products look like, you only have to look at the iMac and when the MacBook Air was first launched, but it was the original iPhone that amazed many of us. Apple knows that they need to keep ahead of the game and while some of you will now suggest they are falling ever further behind, we should remember that they always have a way of surprising us.

A recent article looks at how Apple could surprise us by making good on one of their patents that will offer an all-glass portable device, which as we know would help to increase signal strength because it would flow unhindered. Most of the iPhone is already made from glass, with just the metal antenna band running around the edge of the device. If this were the case then Apple would need to put the antenna back on the inside, which would not pose much of an issue for signal but we do fear that this could take up valuable space for the latter, as we know the iPhone is not exactly king when it comes to battery performance.

While it’s hard to come to terms with an all-glass iPhone we are almost certain that the 6th-genertaion model will have a larger display, there have been many suggestions in regards to its size but not for a 4.6-inch model. We have seen many Android phones getting bigger but we just don’t know if current iPhone users would want such a big device in their hands? Personally speaking I would like my next iPhone to come with a larger screen and I think 4.6-inch would be the maximum, although 4.3-inch would be preferable. There are many other aspects we would love to see change with the iPhone 5 such as these, which as you will see will make Apple’s next iPhone far more superior.

These are two different approaches to the new iPhone 5 but which of the two would you rather see, an all-glass design or a much-needed larger version?

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Apple has not commented on the iPhone 5 release date, they hate commenting on speculation, and this year is just as mysterious as last year. The next iPhone could launch at WWDC 2012 although our bet would be on a release later on in 2012.

In the spirit of every year around this time – we thought it would be good to dig around for the latest iPhone 5 concept designs making their way online, which include concepts being published in the last few days and weeks. One iPhone 5 concept that we have a desire to get our hands-on is thanks to Ciccarese Design, and it can be seen in the photos below that show a more curved design. Having owned every iPhone generation and loved the flat iPhone 4/4S, so seeing this makes us want to embrace the change. Imagine that 6th generation iPhone on your desk and then rocking it with your finger, would that be a good stress reliever for you?

When change can be too much – This design is only an iPhone 5 concept but it’s extremely radical compared to the current iPhone 4S, and while we know a lot of iPhone users want a design change some might think this is too much. You can see more images over at Ciccarese Design via this article.

These are not the only iPhone 5 concept photos doing the rounds and we found some more via this technology blog, which has only published the pictures in the last few days. They state that the designs came to them via “Justin Quinn“, and this is the same person that created other renderings a few months back.

The designs are thought-out by taking the most solid rumors into consideration and by the 3D artist also being a keen Apple fan that is looking forward to what 2012 could bring in terms of a new iPhone design. You can see the full details that explain the reasons for each specification and five images in the above link.

We can count on a new iPhone this year but when that will be is anyone’s guess although the iPad 3 specs should give us some indication as to what would come with iPhone 5. An Apple event is scheduled for March 7 and some rumors point to LTE, which would almost certainly line-up the iPhone 5 to include the same feature. Other rumors point to a new micro dock connector, although from what we can tell it was iMore that broke this news and had a source that couldn’t be named, as usual with most Apple rumors, but you can read some insight into why this new connector could be both true and needed in their article here.

There have been many breakthroughs in iPhone accessories and this includes the MiLi Pro v2.0 video projector, which can be connected easily thanks to a third party manufacture and can be seen connected to a slightly older iPhone in the image above. You’ll find many more pocket projectors that work with the iPhone 4/4S and those that act as accessories, although some Apple fans want to see something built into a future generation of iPhone. While we hate the idea of a projector being built inside the iPhone 5, 6 or 7 – it does seem reasonable for Apple to build their own brand of pocket projector at some point that works in harmony with a future iPhone.

Do you like the idea of pocket projectors, and if so would you want something more integrated with Apple as an accessory or even within the device itself? You can see plenty of iPhone 5 concept ideas on YouTube here and these even include visuals for built-in projectors, again we’d love to hear your thoughts on these in the comments below. One of these videos has been embedded below this article just in case you’ve not seen it.

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The 2012 Mobile World Congress is now under way over in Spain and consumers are being treated to a number of highly desirable new handsets making their debut. Currently the biggest rival to the iPhone is the Android platform, which has seen an explosion in regards to the number of available handsets in recent times.

Some analysts believe quantity doesn’t always beat quality and certain smartphones have been hit with issues, which is often battery life on 4G LTE devices. There have been some great Android handsets though, and they continue to improve. We are now seeing devices that will feature quad-core processors such as the HTC One X and LG Optimus 4X, but again some may be concerned with all that power coming at the expense of battery life.

Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform is also gaining momentum with some predicting it will eventually overtake the iPhone with regards to market share. Finnish cell phone maker Nokia is pinning its hopes on the operating system to cement its future, and early indications seem favorable with the tie-up.

Recently new smartphones have featured much larger screens that are above 4-inches in size, while the current iPhone measures in at only 3.5-inches. Many iPhone fans have a bigger screen size on their wish lists for the next version of the device, and there have been plenty of rumors suggesting the iPhone 5 will release with a larger screen.

Other features wanted include 4G LTE connectivity that has been left out so far because of the size of the radios, and the effect they have on battery life. But this year new chipsets are incoming that are not only smaller, but less demanding on the battery.

It was reported recently that Apple may redesign some of the internal components of the next iPhone to allow for larger batteries. As usual speculation has begun about when Apple will launch the iPhone 5, with the most recent reports suggesting a fall release.

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It is being claimed in an article over at iMore that Apple are going to do away with the current dock connector found on all its iOS devices. The main reason for this is to save space inside the iPhone 5 to allow for components. The current component takes up quite a bit of space inside the iPhone compared to the overall size of the device.

Apple has waited to install 4G LTE chipsets, which are set to be smaller and use less power from this year. How the dock connector is used is also changing as when the original iPhone 4 was launched there was no AirPlay and iCloud, so the dock had to handle all the data transfers, music, syncing, and backups among other things.

Now thanks to iCloud backups are easier and Wi-Fi sync adds to the options now on offer. A micro dock connector makes a lot of sense for Apple as it looks to offer more with the next iPhone. It won’t go down well with all Apple users though as some accessories won’t be compatible. The company could offer a free adaptor tough, and there would be plenty of third-party options available as well.

This is not the first time we have heard of new technology being used in the iPhone 5 for charging the device. Only last month we told you about an Apple patent that hints that future iPhone and iPad devices could use the same MagSafe connector pin for charging.

Another Apple patent recently suggested future batteries could use redesigned form factors to provide more space for internal components. If the company could couple this with batteries with more power, which in turn provide more time between charges will only please fans of the iPhone.

Are you hoping for better battery life with the next iPhone?

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Some smartphone users would think it pretty strange that some people like to type on a physical QWERTY keyboard instead of a touchscreen. Previously there has been many concept ideas thought up by ingenious people, some of which you can see below in a collection videos.

While this sort of technology will probably not make it onto the iPhone 5, it could be better suited to accessories in the future. There are many consumers who like the Asus Transformer Prime with its optional keyboard dock, and having something similar for the iPhone may go down well with many iPhone fans.

Already there are a number of options for the current iPhone, which include the likes of cases that act as a slide out keyboard for the handset. Below you can see a video of a product from Boxwave that shows an iPhone 4/4S case, which also features a slide out Bluetooth keyboard. There has been some criticism for this case though with some users complaining it makes the iPhone feel too bulky.

The battery life has been the cause of concern for many owners of the iPhone 4S, and this has to be remembered when thinking of purchasing a case of this type. While there was some disappointment with the iPhone 4S for those that were waiting for something new a radical to be released. Apple will probably have something new for the next iPhone, and while they may not be as radical as some of the ideas seen in the videos below, the company could surprise everyone with something special.

How much do you want to see change in the iPhone 5? What ideas would you like to see implemented into the next version? Thanks to iPhone Rumors.

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Did you receive the suspect message? – It’s interesting how some people have visited the website seen in this strange text message, which states Apple are on the lookout for “iPhone 5 testers” and if you’re among the first 1000 to reply you could help with the 6th generation iPhone. Anyone that knows Apple would see this as a scam right away, although curiosity has gotten the best of some people. Let us know if you got this message and what you did after?

Those of our readers that want more insight into this scam should visit this article, which looks at how to avoid it and gives a little background on the free iPhone 5 claim. We also found loads of forum posts discussing this text message and asking others if it is real or fake (yes they did have to ask that), which you can see one example in this forum.

We already heard this month about the chances of WWDC 2012 being the launch pad for new iPhones again, although these rumors are to be taken with a pinch of salt not to mention the upset it could cause some iPhone 4S buyers. If you bought the recent iPhone 4S would you be upset with an early iPhone 5 release in June or July, which would be within a year of 4S launching?

There are many phone users that don’t like Apple’s marketing strategy and some people feel iPhones lack in technology, but you cannot help but admire the late Steve Jobs approach to Flash, especially considering Flash support will not happen in Chrome for Android.

Some iPhone and Android users want a lot to change if they’re to buy an iPhone 5 – we’ve seen many lists of features wanted for the iPhone 5, and change is one word that keeps being mentioned although some people feel too much change could be a bad thing. The most popular changes wished for in iPhone 5 include the adoption of 4G, a bigger screen, more memory, improved multitasking, native turn-by-turn GPS navigation, a change in design and the most wanted change after iPhone 4S is much better battery life.

Making the jump to a new network – we’ve seen an increasing amount of current iPhone users on AT&T complaining about the network, and it seems that some of these users are just looking for an excuse to jump to Verizon Wireless, so we’d love to hear what iPhone network you’re on and if a change is needed anytime soon in your opinion? If you’re wondering what is the best iPhone network we’d recommend looking at this article, which showcases the deals on Sprint, Verizon and AT&T although be aware that this article was updated just over a month ago.

Update: Interestingly we had a quick look on YouTube for “iPhone 5 testers” and found a number of videos making different claims, which are obviously complete rubbish, so be warned PR readers that there are loads of scammers out there trying to get you to part with information or money somehow.

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An Adobe blog post back in November revealed that in the future Adobe would be be concentrating on HTML5 rather than Flash as it is now universally supported by a wide-range of devices and is considered the best solution for deploying content on the web.

So does the iPad 3 / iPhone 5 need Flash? There is no easy answer for this, the huge success which previous iPad and iPhone models have seen suggests that it is not a necessity, but Apple’s reasons for snubbing Flash technology are dubious to say the least. Many believe that there could be an ulterior motive as the reasons explained in Steve Jobs’ open letter titled ‘Thoughts on Flash’ mainly mention security and power consumption as Apple’s reasons for not offering Flash support in iOS. A lot has changed since then, Adobe increased the rate at which new Flash versions were rolled out, which ensured that software bugs and security holes were squashed far quicker than before, also with each new Flash build there were optimizations made to ensure power consumption was as low as possible – Apple don’t seem to mind that plenty of apps and games available drain battery life quickly do they?

We think that if Apple was planning to bring Flash to iOS it would have happened in 2011, now that Adobe has revealed that the future lies in HTML5, not Flash, there’s even less reason to support it. Many believe that the reason behind snubbing Flash in the first place was more to do with the fact that there’s thousands of free Flash game sites on the web (Kongregate is one of these) which would have been fully accessible via the iPad / iPhone’s browser, this could have affected App Store sales which Apple earn commission from – so could this be the real reason behind it? We’ll never know.

Now that Adobe has revealed that HTML5 is the way forward we believe that throughout 2012 more and more web designers and software developers will begin utilizing this tech instead of Flash, in-time this will mean that people won’t come across as many sites which utilize Flash and thus not desire it as much, also let’s not forget that you can watch Flash videos on your iDevice by using Skyfire!

So there you have it folks, we strongly believe that no iOS-based device will ever boast Flash support, but what are you feelings towards this? We find it a little worrying that Apple is in such a strong position that they can pick and choose what sort of content its devices can display – surely if Microsoft did something similar there would be antitrust issues.

We would love to hear from you if Apple’s lack of Flash support affected you quite seriously, did it make you jump ship to Android? Did you have to learn to develop using HTML5? Will no Flash support result in you not buying an Apple device in 2012? We’d love your answers in the comments section below.

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