As rumors swirl about Apple’s manufacturing partners kicking into high gear to produce the next version of the iPhone, a new report adds some more detail on what could be inside the new device.
The latest comes from Vietnamese site Tinhte, which says Apple’s next iPhone (expected to be called the 5S) will sport a 12-megapixel camera. That’s as compared to the 8-megapixel sensor found on both the iPhone 5 and 4S.
Now it wouldn’t be unusual for Apple to make improvements to its camera, which it’s done with each successive iPhone model. But the jump from 8 to 12 megapixels is noteworthy both in how large those images can be printed and cropped down, as well as how much space they could end up taking on the device.
Apple is under more pressure than ever to make improvements to its cameras, which have become a point of comparison as the smartphone market matures. Competitors like Nokia are running entire ad campaigns about comparative quality of low light shooting capability, an area Apple has focused on and touted with its last three models.
HTC’s latest flagship phone, the One, follows that same trend with a 4-megapixel sensor. That’s down from what quickly became the standard of 8 and 13 megapixels in the last major crop of cameras, but which HTC says can produce better photos in low-light situations.
This isn’t the first report to suggest the iPhone’s camera will make the jump into double digit megapixel land. A report from DigiTimes last month suggested that the new camera modules would simply be “higher,” while a report from iLounge in January was a bit more specific, suggesting that Apple would tap Sony’s 13-megapixel sensor.
Why should you believe Tinhte over a handful of other places? It’s the same outlet that got a hold of the iPhone 4 ahead of its official announcement, as well as a 64GB iPhone model nearly six months before its debut with the iPhone 4S. More recently, it had Apple’s EarPods headphones weeks before their unveiling, and a retail version Apple’s third-generation iPad several days before it went on sale.
In case megapixels don’t get you going, there are a handful of other rumors about next iPhone features. That includes multiple new colors, a faster processor, wireless charging technology and even a fingerprint security scanner on the home button.
Credit: CNet
