There have been all sorts of crazy rumors about the iPhone 5S. Some have said it might launch in June. It could have NFC built-in with a ‘Super HD’ camera. There might even be multiple iPhone colors for you to choose from.
If you want high-tech security in your iPhone, then maybe this new rumor will get you excited. According to one analyst, the next iPhone will be rocking a built-in fingerprint sensor, and it’s going to debut alongside a cheaper iPhone model.
Ming-Chi Kuo, over at KGI Securities, has made some correct predictions on Apple product launches in the past, so while we trust him a bit, we’re also skeptical of the timeframe he’s pushing.
Apple acquired the fingerprint sensor maker, AuthenTec last year. They also signed a deal with an Australian company that specializes in biometric security called Microlatch. Both of those deals didn’t come through till the last half of 2012 though, so we’d be surprised if Apple was able to integrate them in time for the iPhone 5S launch. It’s more likely that we’ll see biometric security make its way into the iPhone 6, but we’d be pleasantly surprised if we see it sooner.
As for other features the iPhone 5S might get, Kuo says the new device will have an improved camera, and an A7 chip (both are obvious guesses).
Along with His new report for Apple’s 2013 product roadmap claims that Apple will launch a cheaper, plastic iPhone alongside the iPhone 5S that has the same appearance as the iPhone 5, but it will come in different colors. We’ve heard similar reports from both the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg that Apple is considering a cheaper iPhone. Some rumors have suggested that Apple is already talking to carriers about selling the cheap iPhone and that it will retail for $99 to $149.
Both the cheap iPhone and the iPhone 5S should be announced in June or July, according to Kuo, and Apple is expected to begin preliminary builds of both devices in March.
Source: Macworld
Image: Ars
