Release Date for iPhone 6s, 6s Plus And iOS 9 Revealed

Today we bring information all the way from Germany, Macerkopf.de to be precise, that is reporting that carriers are preparing to release the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on the 18th of September. In relation to iOS 9, the same report claims that Apple will launch the next major version of iOS on Wednesday the 16th of September, which his just two days before the new iPhones are set to hit stores. If we look back to last year, iOS 8 was released on the 17th of September, so both dates are fairly similar.

Earlier this month, BuzzFeed ran a report that indicated that Apple is planning to hold its annual fall event on the 9th of September. This is where they usually launch their new iPhones and new OS. Last year this event fell on the 9th of September and Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. After this pre-orders were accepted from the 12th of September followed by the release of the new iPhone models on the 18th of September. If the leaks we are reading and the reports from Germany are anything to go by, it looks like Apple is going to follow the same release pattern as last year for this year’s new generation iPhone models.

The new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are expected to launch with Force Touch Display technology, faster A9 CPU, 2GB RAM, a 12MP rear camera with 4K video recording capabilities and a 5MP front camera for improved selfies. This year’s iPhones are expected to be packed in a slightly thicker shell from last year to accommodate the Force Touch technology and to also prevent another incident of Bendgate from occurring.

There have been a lot of reports doing the rounds, as is usual for this time of the year, and one report that we read has indicated that Apple’s 2015 iPhones will also feature new SiP (system in package) architecture instead of the traditional PCB (printed circuit board) design. We don’t know if this is true or not but one way or the other, we will be finding out very soon. Are you getting excited for the new iPhone? Are you planning on purchasing the iPhone 6s or the 6s Plus? Be sure to let us know in the comments along with your favorite feature.

Leaked Logs For Next Gen Models Don’t Show The Speculated iPhone 6

If we are to believe everything we hear, we know that Apple will be releasing two new iPhone models next month. We believe that these will be the iPhone 6s and the 6s Plus. There has also been a number of rumors suggesting that an iPhone 6c would also be making an appearance for the budget conscious customer. This rumors hasn’t been quashed by Apple as yet, but a number of entries in a set of developer logs have given the clearest indication to date that the iPhone 6c is but a rumor and actually doesn’t exist.

Mobile marketing company Fiksu has reported that two new iPhones have appearance on their data logs, containing the iPhone 8,1 and iPhone 8,2 identifiers. Apple’s current iPhone 6 models carry the iPhone 7,2 and iPhone 7,1 identifiers. This makes is natural for Fiksu and anyone reading the web traffic logs to assume that these two new identifiers relate to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus devices which are due for a September launch. What we have found interesting, is that there is no third identifier so the rumors of an iPhone 6c really do seem highly unlikely at this point.

The data that is contained within these web logs also shows that the two new iPhones interact with a number of popular apps available in the App Store across a wide range of categories. It is also very interesting to note that the majority of the traffic is coming from the United States where Apple are probably testing this new device. These logs don’t officially prove anything but they do add a little more excitement to what we can expect next month.

There are a number of analysts and leak specialists that have in the past been very accurate who are still adamant that Apple will introduce a third device when they bring out the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. The fact that a third identifier doesn’t show up in the logs doesn’t explicitly mean that another device doesn’t exist, but it does seem very strange that two devices are being tested and the other is nowhere to be seen.

September 9th isn’t very close to arrival now so all the rumors will be put to bed soon enough. What do you think, would you like to see an iPhone 6c being launched or are you happy with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus? Let us know in the comments below.

Will The iPhone 6s Bend?

We have all heard of the famous “Bendgate” which occurred with the release of the iPhone 6 last year. This year we will have the release of the iPhone 6s and of course the question on many peoples’ lips is: will the iPhone 6s bend? Well if Apple are anything to go by; and this assumes that this company can move on from past mistakes, then we are sure to see this “bend” episode being eliminated this time around.

Reports and videos have been circulating the web that say that Apple has learned from last year’s “bendgate” scandal and one such report has come from Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy. Lewis HIlsenteger actually has a vested interest in whether Apple has learned from their mistakes because he was the person who is famed with starting “Bendgate” after managing to bend an iPhone 6 Plus using nothing but his bare hands.

It seems that he has managed to get his hands on a rear backplate, part of the construction of the upcoming iPhone 6s to see if changes have been made. According to him, he is keen to point out that Apple have made a number of key structural changes to the design of this new iPhone 6s in order to prevent the same issues from happening again. A comparison between the leaked backplate of the iPhone 6s and the rear of the current iPhone 6 shows that the internal walls of the case have been strengthened. It also shows that the locations for a number of screws have also been changed to make the iPhone 6s a lot stronger and more resilient.

There have been a lot of reports of late to support this information. One report has suggested that Apple is also keen to introduce a new aluminium bond into the structural make-up of the iPhone 6s. The Apple Watch Sport version uses a 700 series aluminum that Apple has been very impressed with and this is rumoured to be included in the iPhone 6s that is due to make an appearance in September.

If you would like to see the proof for yourself and find out if the iPhone 6s will bend, then be sure to check out the video below where you can watch the backplate being put to the test.

iOS 9 Beta 5 Has Arrived: Here Are All The New Features And Changes

Apple was due to release iOS 9 beta 5 a couple of days ago but that never happened. It has now landed and so many developers out there are busy installing it onto their iPhones and iPads to see what has been added to this new release. We all know that at this late stage it isn’t so much about the features anymore, but the stability and bug fixes. We’ve been lucky enough to get a look at this release and below you will find a list of the new features and changes that you can expect.

Keyboard Tweaks

Apple has again tweaked the way the Shift key is displayed as well as the icons used in places like the dictation button.

Wi-Fi Assist

This is something that a lot of people will need to be aware of. This feature will actually call for your iPhone to use cellular data if your Wi-Fi connection is poor. Of course it will need to be turned on in your settings app first but do keep an eye on it as you wouldn’t you’re your cellular data going through the roof unknowingly.

New Wallpapers

Apple has added some really interesting wallpapers to iOS 9. There are actually 15 new ones to choose from. Some of the wallpapers from the iPhone 5c have been removed.

Siri Suggestions Interface Changed

Now, tapping a contact shows only icons for the mode of contact rather than icons and labels.

Wi-Fi Calling Comes To AT&T

We were expecting this as I’m sure many of you were. If you have an AT&T contract you can now use Wi-Fi calling if you live in the right area. The exact details have yet to be released.

CarPlay Interface Tweaks

Users can now like songs from CarPlay and new, larger artwork is displayed on-screen.

Shuffle All Option In Music App

At the top of the Music App there is a now an option to shuffle all your music. A great addition to this app in our opinion.

Text Replacement

This is really just a new name to match the Mac for the old Shortcuts feature that has been part of iOS for quite some time now.

Regulatory Info

If you really like to see those regulatory logos, then you can now do just that from Settings > General > Regulatory in addition to its previous hidden location in Settings > General > About > Legal.

We have spent some time testing iOS 9 beta 5 and in our opinion, this version does appear to be more stable and certainly more usable. The speed is so much better too. We haven’t come across any problems yet so if you do be sure to let us know in the comments so that we can check them out. Also if there are any features that we haven’t mentioned that you love about iOS 9 beta 5 be sure to let us know.

Apple In Talks To Launch Its Own Wireless Carrier

It looks like Apple could very well be about to launch their very own wireless carrier. This would see them follow in the footsteps of Google Project Fi who have already launched their own mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO as it is more commonly known. According to a new report that we have read, the Cupertino company run by Tim Cook is currently in talks with partners over the possibility of effectively operating as its own carrier with operations in the United States and various European territories, thanks to deals with existing suppliers in those areas.

For those of your who don’t really understand all the terminology, an MVNO is essentially a virtual mobile network that allows technology companies, like Apple or Google, to purchase network space from existing and established mobile networks. The companies who have purchased said space would then create and market their own carrier packages with the intention of selling the service directly to consumers. In Apple’s case we are assuming that the carrier package would be sold alongside its own hardware. It is perhaps a great way of offering a full-stack experience that all comes under one brand name.

In Apple’s case, rather than a person buying a device from them and then paying a monthly fee to the likes of AT&T, the whole thing would be converged. Customers with an iPhone or cellular iPad would be able to get everything from Apple. They would pay Apple directly for any data sent and received, or fan any text or voice call bundles that they wished to receive. Apple would have their very own SIM which would be where all the magic would lie and it would also be able to automatically handle switching between the available networks that Apple had partnerships with.

The report sounded very promising indeed and they are also reporting that rather than this just being something that Apple is thinking about, they are actually in the process of trialling the service at present. This is in fact something that has been speculated about for quite some time and discussions with telecom companies has supposedly been going on for a number of years already. It could take another four or five years before Apple’s virtual network does make an appearance though.

Google’s Project Fi is currently available for the Nexus 6 in the United States so it does make perfect sense for Apple to be considering this also especially when you take into consideration that the company filed a patent for an MVNO back in 2006. There has been no official word from Apple as yet but we are hoping that this report proves to be true. What do you think? Would you like to see Apple have its own MVNO? Let us know in the comments below.