New iPhone Specs, Launch Date Leaked?

9:04 am, May 19th, 2009, Leander Kahney

iphone_mockup

CC-licensed mockup by Victor Anselme. Note: this image did not appear on the iPhone Apps blog.

The new iPhone will be available July 17 and will have a bunch of new features, including video recording and editing, a digital compass, turn-by-turn directions, and a better battery, according to an obscure blog called iPhone Apps.

The blog, who no one has ever heard of before, claims to have been contacted by a “reputable source,” who is “closely connected to Apple’s hardware development team.”

Whatever. I’m dubious, but the rumor somewhat gels with previous rumors and the site’s detail and specificity lend the claims are certain credence. Kinda.

Full specs after the jump.

* 32GB and 16GB to replace current capacities

* $199 and $299 price-points to be maintained

* 3.2 Megapixel camera

* Video recording & editing capabilities

* Ability to send a picture & video via MMS

* Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device

* OLED screen

* 1.5X The battery life

* Double the RAM and processing power

* Built-in FM transmitter

* Apple logo on the back to light up

* Rubber-tread backing

* Sleeker design

* Built-in compass

* Revolutionary combination of the camera, GPS, compass, and Google maps to identify photo and inform about photo locations.

* Turn by turn directions

* July 17th, 2009 release date

There’s a few fishy features here. The site says the new iPhone will include a built-in FM transmitter (WTF, to put Griffin out of business?), double the processing power, and an OLED screen. An OLED screen would certainly afford better battery life (maybe this is where the 1.5X battery life comes from).

However, they aren’t yet shipping in volume yet. An OLED screen would be expensive, adding considerable cost to the new handset, which makes it unlikely.

Posted by Leander Kahney in Apple, Hardware, News, Rumors, iPhone | Comment on this article

About the author

Leander Kahney

Leander Kahney is senior editor of Cult of Mac, editor of two books about technology culture, Cult of Mac and Cult of iPod, and has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Observer in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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13 comments

    If these specs were true they would be amazing. Honestly though, I can’t see how they can add all those features AND be “sleeker” AND have “1.5X the battery life” – something has to give.

    Jeremy, on May 19th, 2009 at 9:27 am

    While some of those features maybe true, and some are found in the 3.0 software that we know to be true (i.e. MMS) – I highly doubt the information on this unknown blog to be accurate – let alone those mock-ups. Have to admit – it does look cool – and if anyone at Apple does read this – that’s a great design someone came up with – you guys should use it!

    Justin

    Justin Esgar, on May 19th, 2009 at 9:35 am

    I hope it dosen’t look anything like that, how ugly.

    Kev Robinson, on May 19th, 2009 at 9:37 am

    Site down!

    Michael, on May 19th, 2009 at 10:19 am

    [...] as Cult of Mac pointed out, the OLED displays are not readily available just [...]

    Not quite believable rumor: Next-generation iPhone specs, launch date revealed | iPhonefreak, on May 19th, 2009 at 11:32 am

    [...] Purported specs are at Cult of Mac, which picked it up before “iPhone Apps” went offline. [Cult of Mac via Camillo Miller] [...]

    “New” iPhone 3G “leaked” to “blog” « Gadget Blog, on May 19th, 2009 at 12:29 pm

    [...] le creemos a estos rumoristas ociosos, si no fuera por el hecho de que se les olvidó poner el botón de inicio, el que está abajo y es [...]

    El blog del Galletero ::: Gadgets – Videojuegos – Cine » Blog Archive » ¡El nuevo iPhone!, on May 19th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    What about the FM radio?

    Yass, on May 19th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

    By the iPhone DevTeam’s admission, their current Jailbreak solution works on the hardware level and can’t be blocked by any software Apple releases. Hopefully the new *hardware* won’t kill the ability to Jailbreak (again)?

    Willem, on May 19th, 2009 at 3:52 pm

    this concept was published back in february on toxel.com
    http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2009/02/15/10-beautiful-apple-iphone-concepts/
    i call bullshit

    brenna, on May 19th, 2009 at 8:14 pm

    the promo graphic is too wordy. apple wouldn’t talk to consumers with that many words in a banner ad or graphic of that size — especially not for a product launch.

    jeremy, on May 20th, 2009 at 11:13 am

    Love that design…wish the iphone looks like that

    it is so hot…

    scott, on May 21st, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    I really don’t like the way it looks (no offense to the dude that drew it up) but I like the current look of the iPhone better. Looks cool from the side though!

    Conch, on May 23rd, 2009 at 6:21 am