The Apple rumour mill is swirling again, hard-core, this time, about the possbility of a new 4th Generation iPhone, or iPhone 4G.
To give you a brief historical tour of the iPhone, the very first iPhone that came out in June 2007 has been confusingly dubbed the 2G iPhone, because the iPhone that was released after it was called the iPhone 3G (since it could run on the EDGE and the 3G cellular network). The next iteration of the iPhone after the iPhone 3G was the iPhone 3GS, where the ‘S’ suffix was tacked onto the end (presumably to reflect the faster processing ’speed’ inside the device).
Since this would be the fourth version, or generation, of the Apple iPhone, and because the phone may use (or be capable of using) the 4G cellular network, people are currently referring to it as the iPhone 4G. Perhaps that name will stick, and Apple will release the next iPhone as the iPhone 4G. But I am not totallly convinced that this will be the official Apple name for the new iPhone – expecially now that a few pictures have surfaced of a digitizer/LCD that is a smidge taller than the previous iPhone 3G/S digitizers, courtesy of iResQ:
Could the New iPhone Sport Video Capture Functionality?
The photographs, which I believe are real and have not been doctored in any way, show a small, oblong opening right above the earpiece. Some believe this could be a proximity sensor, and some have gone so far as to imagine that it is a video camera that would allow for video chatting. The surface of this strange component has interestingly been described as “reflective”.
Is it possible that this material would allow for a special video camera behind it to see though this barrier and capture images, in the same manner as a two-way mirror? And why is the material “reflective”? Well, that would make a great surface to gaze into to ensure that your mug was in view if you were video-chatting with someone, wouldn’t it?! Of course, this is all wild theory right now – very few people know for sure what Apple’s new iPhone will look like, and what features it will support, and no one is officially talking about it on the record now.
Some have suggested that this port is a proximity sensor only (the part inside every iPhone that dims and locks out your screen as you hold it up to your face), but perhaps it can do that, plus more?
To take this a step further, IF the new iPhone DOES have video capture and chatting capabilities, I think it is possible that the new iPhone could be dubbed the iPhone Video (maybe you will have heard it here first).
Apple has used the word ‘Video’ before in its’ iPod product line: the 5th Generation iPod Video was the first iPod to be able to play movies, television shows, commercials, and so on, hence the name. And if an iPhone was released that had the ability to capture full-motion video and allow for real-time video chats is such a smooth and non-obtrusive manner as the location and appearance that this suspicious, reflective port suggests, it is likely that the word ‘Video’ (or perhaps just a letter ‘V’ [iPhone 3GV, anyone?!]) will be tied with the new name.
So what do you think? Does Apple plan on offering a video capturing feature with their new iPhone? Will the new iPhone be called an iPhone 4G? Will companies like ours start promoting ‘iPhone Video Repair‘? Only time will tell, my iPhone-loving friends!
Anthony Magnabosco, Owner
milliamp.com
