Apple iPhone 6S rumor roundup: Everything we know about the next version of Apple’s flagship phone

We’re officially past the halfway point on the annual iPhone calendar.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus first appeared in stores on September 19, 2014. If Apple sticks to the same mid-September release calendar it’s followed for the past several years, we have less than six months until i-Day. And if Cupertino follows the same upgrade plan — big redesigns for even numbered years, internal specs updates for odd ones — we can likely expect something a bit less radical than the big-screen phablet makeover the iPhone got in 2014.

Of course, that’s all conjecture and educated guesses, based on past history. So with that caveat firmly in mind, we present here a curated collection of gossip, hearsay, and prognostications about Apple’s next big thing.

Announcement and release dates

As stated above, we’d expect to see the next generation of iPhones announced in September. But we could get a preview of the next iPhones — from a software perspective, at least — as soon as next month. That’s when Apple will announce the next version of its mobile operating system, presumably named iOS 9, at its World Wide Developers Conference, scheduled to run from June 8 to 12 in San Francisco. (CNET will have live coverage.)

Design

In 2014, Apple released the iPhone 6, which had a slightly larger profile and display than its predecessor, and the 6 Plus, which, equipped with its supersized 5.5-inch display, marked the company’s first foray into “phablet” territory.

In the wake of the significant design changes that came with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, there is consensus that Apple will focus primarily on internal enhancements with the coming generation instead of bringing out dramatically different-looking handsets. That noted, there is a rumor that the lineup could expand to include three new models: the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, and a “throwback” 4-inch device that some are referring to as the “iPhone 6C” or “iPhone mini.”

Other aesthetic possibilities include new colors (including pink) and perhaps even a 14-karat gold “Edition” model to match the high-end Apple Watch.

iOS

The early predictions characterize Apple as focused on “stability and performance enhancements” for iOS 9 rather than earth-shattering innovations.

Apple’s current operating system, iOS 8, launched a handful of key features including Apple Pay, which continues to gain traction and add retail partners, and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor technology.

Processor

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both come equipped with the A8, a 64-bit dual-core processor that delivers excellent performance. Though newer competitors such as the HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6 delivered superior scores in CNET’s benchmark testing, hands-on use revealed minimal differences among the three.

According to Bloomberg, sources report that Samsung will produce the main chip in the next iPhone model, which will presumably be the A9.

Battery

The iPhone 6’s battery life isn’t quite an Achilles’ heel, but, on an otherwise outstanding phone, it is one of the few elements that’s merely average. (The larger iPhone 6 Plus, on the other hand, delivers more impressive endurance). Though some have mused that the next iPhone could include a USB-C cable for charging, another possibility is support for inductive charging — a feature found on the Apple Watch and an increasing number of other non-Apple smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

Screen

There is a particularly durable rumor about an iPhone with a sapphire display, which would offer a higher degree of scratch and shatter-resistance than the current models’ Gorilla Glass. (The higher-end Apple Watch models have sapphire crystals.)

That said, Corning has already announced a next-gen Gorilla Glass material it’s dubbed Project Phire. The company has stated that products incorporating Phire — which is said to deliver sapphire-like scratch resistance — will hit later this year. That would dovetail perfectly with the timing of new iPhones.

Meanwhile, the next iPhone could also borrow display technology from the Apple Watch: OLED. That would provide best-in-class black levels, contrast and colors found on a growing assortment of smartphones (including the Samsung Galaxy S6), rather than the LCD technology used on current iPhones’ Retina displays.

And — completing the trifecta of possible technology borrowed from the Apple Watch — the company could also choose to incorporate Force Touch to the iPhone’s screen, adding pressure sensitivity to the phone’s interactive bag of tricks.

Camera

Apple’s April 2015 acquisition of Israeli firm LinX Computational has fueled rumors of significant enhancements in camera technology coming with the next iPhone. Specific predictions include multiple apertures that can provide DSLR-quality photos packed into a tinier form factor that could ultimately allow for an even thinner handset.

Scroll down for a chronological look at the latest rumors.

April 14, 2015

Apple announces dates for Worldwide Developers Conference

Apple announces that the 2015 edition of its event for Apple users and developers will run from June 8 through June 12 in San Francisco.

Apple buys Israeli camera-technology company LinX

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has purchased Israel-based camera technology company LinX.

April 8, 2015

Apple releases iOS 8.3 with new features and fixes

Apple releases iOS 8.3, adding new characters to the emoji keyboard in addition to fixes and performance improvements.

April 3, 2015

Force Touch to bring ‘significant’ change to next iPhone — analyst

A handful of analysts and publications report that Force Touch, the new touch-sensitivity technology first introduced on the Apple Watch and on the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook in March 2015, will be integrated into the next iPhone.

April 2, 2015

Samsung said to win Apple A9 chip orders for next iPhone

According to Bloomberg, sources with “direct knowledge of the matter” report that Samsung will produce the main chip in Apple’s next iPhone model, wresting away the contract from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which has been building chips for the current generations of iPhones and iPads.

March 26, 2015

Rumors of three new iPhone models, including 4-inch throwback

A new rumor suggests that three new iPhone models may be released in the second half of this year, including an iPhone 6S, an iPhone 6S Plus and a 4-inch device that Digitimes refers to as the “iPhone 6C.”

March 13, 2015

Apple launches public beta program for OS X

Apple invites the public to test drive the next version of its operating system, iOS X, which features performance and stability tweaks, big fixes, and a redesigned emoji keyboard.

March 11, 2015

WSJ: Next iPhones to feature Force Touch and new colors

The Wall Street Journal reports that the next generation of iPhones will feature Apple’s Force Touch technology and new colors — including, possibly, pink.