Two of the biggest mobile launches of the year are slated for early September. According to Recode, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, Apple is planning to announce the iPhone 6 on September 9th. Samsung have invited the press to a Galaxy Note 4 event on September 3rd. Whether you’re an Android or iPhone fan, early next month will be a very interesting time. Let’s take a look at what we expect to see.
Apple iPhone 6 (launch rumoured September 9th)
iPhone 6 concepts by Martin Hajek
The iPhone 6 has been the subject of rumour and speculation even before the iPhone 5S was launched in September last year. According to these rumours and a body of photographic evidence, the next iPhone will be a big departure from its predecessors. The new iPhone is expected to launch with a 4.7-inch screen, a significant increase over the 4-inch iPhone 5S and a massive change from the 3.5-inch iPhone 4S. An even larger model called the iPhone Air, at 5.5 inches, is also rumoured to debut later in the year or in early 2015. The new larger size may have some knock-on effects, such as the lock button moving from the top to the right side of the phone. The screens for these models may be covered with Sapphire-coated glass too, a move that could push prices for the already expensive Apple handset even higher.
The new iPhone(s) will also come with some improved internals. An Apple A8 processor seems likely, which would provide a boost to performance necessary for the higher resolution. A more capacious battery also seems an obvious choice, as even with a rumoured 6mm thick chassis there’ll be plenty of extra room for a larger battery. Other internal changes like additional RAM or additional storage are also possible. Even NFC has been spotted on purported iPhone 6 motherboards, which would be a big addition for Apple, as the company has pointedly avoided the tech so far.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (event announced September 3rd)
Samsung’s Note 4 event invitation
Another Samsung Galaxy Note announced at IFA seems an inevitably after three years, and Samsung have sent out their press invitations right on schedule. The Note 4 will be an important phone for Samsung, as they look to regain market share against incumbents like LG, Lenovo and Huawei.
The new phone should again grow in resolution and features, with a 5.7″ screen running at 2560 x 1440. Features that made it into the Galaxy S5, most notably a waterproof chassis with an IP67 rating, are also likely to make their way to the Note line. While a metal-clad design or even a curved display aren’t impossible, a more standard design with textured plastic seems the safer bet.
Internally, we should also seem some iterative changes. A Snapdragon 801 or even 805 processor seem likely to be used, with a Samsung-made Exynos chipset for some markets (including Samsung’s native South Korea). Expect to see 3 or 4 GB of RAM, backed with the same expandable microSD storage and replaceable battery that have proven so popular with Samsung’s line of phones.
Which handset are you excited for? Let us know in the comments below or speak to us on Twitter @mobilefun!