As Apple’s September 10th event—where it’s expected to unveil its new iPhone(s)—draws near, we’re beginning to learn new details about the handset. For instance, the latest rumblings seem certain that it’ll feature a new gold color option.
And today we learn a few more particulars from the often-accurate Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac. Gurman has published a sweeping report, detailing everything from what the iPhone 5S Home button is going to look like, to the status of iOS 7…
Previous reports have claimed that the 5S Home button will protrude out from the device, in a convex manner, in order to facilitate the new fingerprint sensor. But Gurman says his sources, who have used the handset, say that isn’t the case.
“Also contrary to recent talk, the new Home button’s design will not be noticeably convex. Perhaps the shape has changed, but the tweaked button is nothing distinct enough for the iPhone 5S to be identified as anything but an iPhone 5 by the untrained eye. There’s the possibility, however, that the etching and border of the Home button could become more shiny and look slightly different.”
He also answers a question I’ve been asking for a while, which is why haven’t we seen any supply chain evidence of a fingerprint sensor yet? Apparently Apple has been extremely secretive about the feature, even omitting it from prototypes.
Additionally, Gurman’s sources offer up some new information about the state of iOS 7. It looks like while the iPhone version of the software is nearly finished, the iPad version is running behind—so much that it could end up being delayed.
“Many developers have noted that the iOS 7 builds for iPad feel unstable and unreliable compared to the iPhone-optimized betas. The reason, as we’ve noted before, is that Apple started on iOS 7 for iPhone prior to building for the iPad. Perhaps as proof for this, Apple did not ship an iOS 7 beta for iPad until two weeks after the initial iPhone iOS 7 beta. A similar situation is potentially in the cards for the public launch of iOS 7.”
He says that the iPad version of iOS 7 could be pushed back to coincide with the launch of the new iPad and iPad mini, which could be in October some time. If true, Apple could push out iPad support for iOS 7 as an update, like iOS 7.0.1.
Finally Gurman offers up some tidbits on future iOS releases, including iOS 7.1 and even iOS 8. He says Apple is working on a number of new features, including a Siri API for third-party developers and advancements with iOS in the Car.
This fall is shaping up to be very interesting, to say the least. We’re looking at not one, but two new iPhones, two new iPads, and the biggest update to Apple’s mobile operating system we’ve seen since its introduction. And it all starts in a few weeks.