iPhone 5: Top 5 Features iOS 6 Reveals About the Next Apple Phone

By Akansha Srivastava | Jul 02, 2012 12:21 PM EDT

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At WWDC 2012, the Cupertino-based tech giant disappointed many of the iPhone fanboys by not revealing any information upon its upcoming flagship smartphone offering - iPhone 5. However, the company did unveil its much-awaited new operating system - iOS 6.

Commercially, it would make sense to say that Apple will release the next iPhone with the new iOS 6 preinstalled to rival other manufacturers' heavyweights, including Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X.

Recent rumors have suggested that the next flagship model by the company may get released as soon as September with a combination of revolutionary hardware enhancements and software-driven innovation, which is a clear indication towards integration of the new OS in the iPhone 5.

Numerous reports swirling in the blogosphere have predicted that Apple's sixth generation iPhone will pack 4-inch Retina display, an A5X variant chip, 1GB RAM, improved battery life, a smaller 19-pin dock connector and Liquidmetal casing - features that will definitely make it a 'Samsung Galaxy S3 killer'.

However, these are just unconfirmed speculations and Apple hasn't officially confirmed anything about the upcoming device. However, with the official launch of iOS 6, Apple has given us a whole new idea of what the next iPhone might look like. Here is a quick look at the top 5 features which are expected on iPhone 5.

Larger Screen and Superior Display

Apple's new iOS 6 ditched the Google Maps and came out with their very own Map app, which converts the normal satellite view into a 3D photographic model, showing realistic details about several U.S. cities and others. The new Apple Maps app also includes turn-by-turn navigation and real time traffic. Of course, all these features will run swiftly only on a phone which will have a breakthrough screen display.

The new OS will come with FaceTime running over cellular which means that users will be video chatting on the move, which would also require an appealing screen display.

Furthermore, Apple has improved its browser Safari's features, which has now got new offline reading list feature, which in turn suggests that the new iPhone will be "better for reading" or "better for navigation."

In any case, a new screen is overdue from the company's end. The 3.5-inch display was in vogue in 2007 but is not so now. High-end Android phones now boast of a minimum 4-inch screen. So we won't be surprised if Apple unveils iPhone 5 with 4-inch screen.

4G LTE

The new OS will have FaceTime support over cellular calls, hence, it is obvious to note that iPhone 5 will come with the 4G LTE technology.

Digital Wallet

iOS 6 has come with a Passbook app, which is specially designed for business users. This app brings a lot of stuff like movie tickets, boarding pass, air tickets and even sporting event tickets in one place and organizes then digitally. This feature confirms Apple's foray into NFC technology and other swipe-to-pay function, converting the next iPhone into a digital wallet.

Improved Siri

Last year, Siri was packaged as one of the main selling points of the iPhone 4S. This year, the Siri has got smarter. It has learned a lot of new languages (Italian, Mandarin, Catonese, and more) and has become friends with a lot of new services. The personal assistant can now offer significantly more information when asked about sports, restaurants, movies and more. It has also got Eyes Free voice-control integration - a new feature that will allow a a driver to use Siri in his car without having to glance at the application.

Better Camera

While the rear-facing camera on the iPhone 4S is amazing, the front-facing camera leaves something to be desired for the users. As mentioned earlier, iOS 6 is going to introduce FaceTime for video chat. Hence, it points towards a possibility that the front-facing camera of the iPhone 5 is going to be a major upgrade from its predecessor.

Rumors are already widespread that Apple might be including an HD FaceTime camera on the iPhone 5.

As for the rear-facing camera, iPhone 4S possesses what is arguably the best shooter on a smartphone. However, with Nokia poised to launch its PureView 808 camera technology on its Windows Phone 8 devices, Apple might have to make a move to stay ahead of the pack.

Already, Apple has mentioned several enhancements to iOS 6, hinting enhanced focus and exposure capabilities. So, it can be assumed that Apple iPhone 5 may arrive with a monster camera upgrade as well.