next generation

Already in testing, iOS 8 has been spotted again, this time installed on an iPhone 5s. Home screen icons have not been significantly redesigned, however several new apps have been added by Apple. Healthbook, TextEdit, and Preview apps were previously leaked on a Chinese forum and confirmed as authentic by 9to5Mac sources. However, the icons for these apps were from OS X and had not yet been redesigned for iOS.

The latest leaks have been compiled by PhoneArena, showing what appears to be a more refined version. Not only this, but a stand-alone iTunes Radio app already rumored to be in development can be seen on the screenshot below. While these icons on the iOS 8 home screen don't come as a major surprise, a so-called Watch Utility app has appeared for the first time.

Rumors of two larger iPhone models launching later this year have been circulating for months. As mass production begins, photos of parts are starting to leak on Chinese websites such as Weibo. Two purportedly independent leaks seem to confirm a 4.7-inch diagonal iPhone 6 in the works. The white bezel below, with proper home button and earpiece cutouts, shows a larger size than the current model iPhone in black.

Additionally, these iPhone 6 parts point to displays with the same aspect ratio as the existing iPhone 5 and 5s. Whether or not the new display carries increased resolution remains to be seen, however the matching aspect ratio makes sense from an app development point of view. Changes to the display can require significant work for developers to accommodate a new device.

Now that biometrics has made its debut on the iPhone 5s, it's only a matter of time before Apple integrates more of this technology into future devices. Touch ID has successfully integrated a fingerprint sensor into the iPhone, simultaneously increasing security while simplifying the user experience. Now a patent uncovered by AppleInsider points to Apple's work on facial recognition.

The patent was filed in 2008, and describes a system that would control a computer or iPhone using face detection and recognition. The idea would be along the same lines as Touch ID, increasing security for the user's data while improving productivity and convenience. Capturing a facial image would be accomplished with an image sensor, or this could be done with the built-in iSight cameras on current model iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

A European patent surfacing on none other than Patently Apple gives a detailed sneak peak at what could be a major part of tomorrow's iPhone 5S announcement. Not only has Apple been working on an integrated home button fingerprint sensor, but the company plans to integrate the technology with Near Field Communications (NFC).

Glimpses of the new home button can be seen on leaked iPhone 5S packaging, showing a silver ring around the home button on the black front bezel. The device would automatically scan the user's fingerprint using capacitive touch technology, which analysts predict will be housed under a sapphire lens. Fingerprint scanning and NFC would be facilitated by redesigned internal parts, including a home button ribbon with integrated chip.

Less than two weeks separates Apple fans from the next generation iPhone event. No surprise that parts leaks are increasing in frequency. In particular, there are new videos and photos of the graphite iPhone 5S, expected to launch alongside the gold flagship smartphone. The latest videos show both back panels in great detail, comparing the new colors to the iPhone 5 in existing colors silver and slate.

Somehow Apple has managed to tweak the exterior colors of the iPhone 5S while retaining the classy, refined look of the device. It's not clear whether or not Apple will launch the iPhone 5S in four different colors, or if gold and graphite will replace silver and slate entirely this fall. In any case, all of the leaked parts clearly show a pill-shaped slot for a brighter, more sophisticated dual-LED flash.