New - iPhone 6s, next-generation iPhone, coming fall 2015

iPhone 6s

Apple's next-generation iPhone, coming fall 2015

Apple's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, released in September, have only been available just over six months, but rumors about the next-generation iPhone are already trickling in. It's likely Apple will continue its 2014 trend, offering the 2015 iPhone in two separate sizes -- one larger and one smaller.

It's not clear what Apple will call its 2015 iPhones, but Apple may stick to its long running "S" naming scheme (which has been around since 2009), calling the new phones the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. iPhone 6s Plus is a mouthful though, so it is possible that this might be the year that we get a new naming format. One analyst believes Apple might call its next-generation phone the "iPhone 7" due to the significance of the new changes being implemented, but it's far too early in development to know for sure.

As the months pass by, details about the next-generation iPhone have begun trickling in. Because it's an "S" year upgrade and because the iPhone was just redesigned, the next-generation version will focus on internal improvements rather than an updated external look. Screen sizes will remain at 4.7 and 5.5 inches, and Apple is not expected to introduce a new 4-inch model.

There may be a few exterior changes, though. There's been a rumor that Apple could add a new color option to its iPhone lineup in 2015 -- pink. We've also seen two rumors suggesting Apple might opt to use the same 7000 series aluminum used in the Apple Watch in the next-generation iPhone. The aluminum is 60% stronger than standard aluminum but still lightweight.

In the past, "S" upgrades have brought features like Siri, Touch ID, new processors, and camera improvements, and we can expect to see many of the same updates with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. According to rumors, the new devices will gain a faster A9 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel camera, an additional microphone to enhance voice quality, and potentially a new internal mechanical design to address some bending issues users experienced with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

The 2015 iPhones are also expected to gain the Force Touch feature first introduced with the Apple Watch, allowing for new gestures that incorporate pressure sensitivity, and improved Touch ID to make fingerprint recognition faster. A report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also suggested Apple may use sapphire in a limited number of iPhone 6s Plus units, "if drop test issues can be resolved."

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the addition of Force Touch and 7000 series aluminum could slightly change the thickness and the dimensions of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. He believes the iPhones may be wider and taller by about 0.15mm to account for the aluminum, and 0.2mm thicker due to the addition of Force Touch. Those height and thickness increases will be minor enough to be nearly undetectable to most iPhone users.

The two new devices will also continue to offer features that have become integral to the iPhone, including Touch ID support, NFC for Apple Pay, 802.11ac Wi-Fi capabilities, and LTE Advanced.

Apple is likely to release the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in the fall of 2015.

Rumored Features

FORCE TOUCH

Several rumors have suggested the new iPhone 6s could incorporate the "Force Touch" capabilities first introduced with the Apple Watch, which is able to distinguish between a light tap and a harder press, enabling new gestures. Apple appears to be slowly adding Force Touch to its products, and recently, the company introduced both a 12-inch Retina MacBook and an updated 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro with Force Touch trackpads.

One rumor has suggested Force Touch could be limited to the iPhone 6s Plus, which is not out of the realm of possibility as the iPhone 6 Plus does have features not included in the iPhone 6. For example, the iPhone 6 Plus is the only device with optical image stabilization. A second rumor has suggested that while that was originally the plan, Apple may now introduce Force Touch in both versions of the iPhone 6s.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the next-generation iPhone will have a capacitive Force Touch sensor underneath the backlight. He claims that the hardware design of the Force Touch included in the iPhone may work differently than Force Touch in the Apple Watch and 12-inch Retina MacBook.

Instead of directly detecting the pressure applied by a finger on the screen, Force Touch hardware in the iPhone might monitor the contact area where a finger presses to determine how much pressure is being applied.

In June, Bloomberg reported the next-generation iPhones will indeed have Force Touch capabilities, confirming several previous rumors, including a report from The Wall Street Journal. With multiple reputable sources backing up the claim, it's likely Force Touch is a sure thing for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

CAMERA IMPROVEMENTS

Some rumors have hinted that the iPhone 6s could bring Apple's "biggest camera jump ever" in the form of a possible two-lens system that would allow Apple to offer DSLR quality images in its iPhone, but other rumors have disagreed that Apple plans to introduce a two-lens system, sticking instead with the same 8-megapixel sensor found in previous iPhones.

Rather reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has believes the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will gain an upgraded 12-megapixel camera, and his predictions are often correct. Separate rumors have also reiterated the claims of a megapixel increase.

Apple recently acquired LinX Imaging, a camera technology company specializing in cameras for mobile devices that are able to produce DSLR-quality images by using multi-aperture arrays.

LinX technology also introduces much-improved low-light photo taking capabilities, and due to depth mapping, it can even created 3D images from still photographs. It's possible LinX's camera technology could be used in the next-generation iPhones.

BETTER TOUCH ID

Touch ID may also see some improvements. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 6s will feature an upgraded Touch ID module with reduced reading errors to enhance the Apple Pay experience.

A SAPPHIRE DISPLAY

iPhone 6 rumors focused heavily on a potential sapphire display that did not materialize due to production issues, and there have already been some whispers suggesting Apple will use sapphire displays produced by Foxconn for the next-generation iPhone. No new sapphire deals have come to light, though, so it is somewhat unlikely we'll see sapphire in the iPhone 6s.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple may use sapphire in some models of the larger iPhone 6s Plus if issues with drop tests can be worked out ahead of mass production.

4-INCH IPHONE 6C?

There have been conflicting rumors concerning the addition of a new 4-inch iPhone 6c to Apple's 2015 lineup. Several rumors coming out of the Asian supply chain have suggested there will be a newly designed 4-inch iPhone "6c" released in 2015, but other reports have called these rumors incorrect, including a recent note from reliable KGI securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. For more on the iPhone 6c rumors, check out our iPhone 6c roundup.