We're closing in on the long-rumored late-September release date for Apple's
Apple missed its historical early summer update window, so surely the iPhone 5 -- or whatever it will be called -- will be a game changer. Right?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the upcoming refresh won't be a material upgrade. The handset will be a bit thinner and lighter, no doubt a ploy by Apple to sell more covers and keep ZAGG
A source tells the Journal that the new smartphone will also switch to Qualcomm's
None of these rumored updates would seem to be a "stop-the-presses" enhancement that would force a two- to three-month delay. The initial chatter, when it became apparent that Apple would miss its June-July window, was that it was timing the release to coincide with stateside carriers upgrading to 4G. Perhaps it was buying time to finalize the addition of near-field communications chips to blow up mobile commerce or follow the iPad 2 into the meatier A5 dual-core processor.
Either Apple has suddenly gotten very good about keeping secrets or these material features are now off the table. This is rapidly becoming Apple's Duke Nukem Forever or Chinese Democracy.
The game changer may have to wait until Apple's sixth iPhone is introduced next year. The buzz for that revamp is building, and the Journal's source hints at a cordless charging platform.
If the iPhone 5 is a non-event, let's hope that Apple introduces the iPhone 6 -- or whatever it will be called -- sooner rather than later next year. Time is ticking and the gap between Google's
The market forgives delays, but only when the wait is ultimately worth it.
Will you buy the iPhone 5 or hold off until next year? Or have you migrated to Android? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.
