The AppAdvice week in review: 5 questions about Apple's new products
Is the “iPhone 6″ still going to be announced next month? How about the “iWatch”? We attempt to answer these questions and more in our week in review.
Five questions about new Apple products
1. A 128 GB iPhone 6?
Of all the rumors explored in the past few days, this is the one most likely to come true. Were Apple to finally offer a 128 GB iPhone, it would be the company’s first storage expansion for its flagship device since 2011.
Don’t get too excited, however. The long-rumored 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will probably be the only one available with 128 GB.
2. A reversible USB Lightning cable?
In May, a rumor was floating around that said Apple would soon offer an updated Lightning cable capable of supporting HD playback. Since then, this rumor has largely gone dormant. In its place, we’ve heard that Apple’s Lightning cable for next-generation iOS devices will soon feature a reversible USB connector.
This change would be nice (and likely this year), especially for those times when you’re trying to plug in your device in the dark. On the wow factor scale, this one barely causes a ripple.
3. A new Apple TV in September?
Since the beginning of the month, Apple has been offering a $25 iTunes Gift Card with any Apple TV purchase. In turn, inventories for the “hobby” device have become depleted throughout the United States.
Does this mean the Apple TV will receive its first hardware refresh since 2012? Not likely.
Cupertino has big plans for the Apple TV. Unfortunately, most of those plans remain on hold because of the unwillingness of providers to think outside of the box in terms of content delivery.
I don’t expect that we’ll be seeing a significant Apple TV refresh until those feelings are changed.
4. The “iWatch” delayed until 2015?
This week, we heard that Apple had postponed the launch of its long-rumored wearable device until 2015. Two days later, another source said its launch was imminent.
Who’s right? I still believe that we’ll be seeing the iWatch before the end of the year. A September arrival, however, is unlikely.
5. The iPhone 6 delayed?
On Friday, Reuters claimed that Apple’s iPhone 6 announcement could be delayed over production issues. Naturally, this didn’t sit well with many of our readers.
Tim said “I think I will stay away from this release just seems Apple is having issues every step of the way. Samsung here I come.”
Meanwhile, c_hack vented: “‘the iPhone 6’s release date is now in doubt’ ?! Seriously?! Apple has yet to even announce the date of the event during which they are likely to announce the iPhone 6. There is no release date, so how could it be in doubt? Who writes this garbage?”
DB correctly noted “Even though these rumors are annoying, I bet Apple loves them. Why? They keep people talking, thinking, wondering and planning about the next iPhone. All other smartphone vendors can only deem (sic) about such coverage that continually keeps their product foremost in the minds of the masses.”
This “garbage” came from an international news agency that first opened its doors in 1851. It relied on two supply chain sources.
With that being said, I don’t expect the iPhone 6 to be “delayed.”
I believe that Apple was having production issues with the next iPhone. However, those issues were almost certainly resolved without necessitating a launch delay. In other words, expect Apple to announce new iPhones on Sept. 9, as expected.
For further reading
Stories you might have missed this week:
- Coin delays its official product launch until spring 2015
- Mail Pilot 2 will arrive in October with a redesigned UI and a boatload of new features
- The NFL Now channel arrives on the Apple TV
- New images show a fully assembled ‘iPhone 6′ for the first time
- Apple releases iOS 8 beta 6 to testing partners, not developers
Viral video of the week
On Monday night, the Emmy Awards will be handed out in Los Angeles, California. Once again, “Breaking Bad” is expected to receive the award for best drama. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (“Veep”) should once again take the award for best actress in a comedy series.
Take a look at this funny video that pays homage to both, courtesy of the Television Academy:
