iPhone Hardware

Apple has always focused on the iPhone's capability to create as well as consume content. Ever since the first iPhone camera and camera roll, iPhone users have been recording anywhere they can bring their device. The sixth-generation iPhone will be no different, and according to MacRumors there are big changes to cameras in the works.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from KGI Securities reports that the larger screen featured on the iPhone 5 will have a 16:9 film aspect ratio, demanding an HD front facing camera for FaceTime. Apple will also make changes to the rear camera to slim down the device, while keeping an 8MP image sensor.

Ever hear of AirDrop? Those who are used to file sharing with their newer Mac computer will find the term familiar. Now it seems Apple is prepared to equip its next generation iPhone with the technology. According to 9to5Mac, the OS X Lion adhoc file-sharing protocol is likely to be added to iOS 6.

This is all thanks to the Broadcom BCM4334 hardware that has been found in iOS 6 code. This chip uses a more efficient 40nm process, which is a step above the 65nm process found on chips in the iPhone 4S and iPad 3. When it comes to power, the new Wi-Fi chip reduces consumption by almost half, and increases standby time by three orders of magnitude.

There are rumors, then there are details revealed by trusted sources within Apple. 9to5Mac not only has these contacts, but they have combed through iOS 6 beta to learn more about the next generation iPhone hardware. The results, while not entirely surprising, are interesting for those waiting until Apple's October launch of the iPhone 5.

The hardware has been labeled by Apple as "iPhone5,1" otherwise known as N41AP. When it comes to the basics, this device will carry a variant of the A5X chip with 1GB of RAM and a mysterious new GPU chip called the SGX543RC* (the asterisk hides numbers that could identify Apple employees working on the device).

The SIM card in your iPhone is about to get smaller. The nano-SIM standard was just approved by the European Telecommunications Institute (ETSI), shaving 40 percent off the size of current micro-SIM cards. The new standard will increase the amount of space available in mobile devices for other components.

Apple's proposed nano-SIM card is pictured above from The Verge, inside the outline of a standard SIM card. The nano-SIM that was approved has the same dimensions as Apple's proposed card, coming in at just 12.3 x 8.8 x 0.67mm. The function of the SIM card will remain unchanged, and the new design can be packaged for backwards compatibility in older devices.

More evidence has surfaced pointing to an increased display size on the next generation Apple iPhone. After the recent appearance of iPhone 5 chassis parts revealing a taller profile and metal back, the leaked plans below appear to verify the new design.

9to5Mac observes that the FaceTime camera has been moved to a location above the earpiece. The opening for the display is just slightly larger than four inches diagonally, making the area correctly sized for a 4-inch diagonal display with a 16:9 aspect ratio.