WSJ: iPhone 6 to Have New Way of Charging

We're all waiting for the announcement of the next iPhone, nicknamed the ‘iPhone 5′ as of current. As expected, lots of rumors are making the rounds on the net and even in the papers, but why not we jump even further and talk abut the next-next iPhone, the iPhone 6! The Wall Street Journal‘s Yukari Iwatani Kane seems to have a special inside track when it comes to Apple information. It's notable, then, when a report comes out from the papers that talk about the manufacturing challenges of the next iPhone, and even the iPhone after that.

According to the Journal, the next iPhone will be similar to the iPhone 4, but will be thinner and lighter. It will also sport an 8 megapixel camera. Apple will also supposedly shift from its Infineon wireless chip to one made by Qualcomm, the latter company being the current supplier for the current Verizon-specific Apple products.

The Qualcomm chip used by Apple right now has the capability to handle both CDMA and GSM frequencies, leading to some speculation that the next iPhone will come in one hardware configuration for all networks.

There are also concerns that the next iPhone could be further pushed back from launch if Hon Hai Precision, also known as Foxconn, isn't able to improve its yields.

Foxconn chairman Terry Guo told the Journal that his company is facing challenges with Apple's touch-screen devices.

“The touch-screen devices are so thin. It's really difficult to install so many components into the iPhones and iPads,” Gou said. “We hope to raise the yield rate and volume in the second half, which will help improve our gross margin.”

Even further out is talk of the iPhone 6, which the Journal has heard from a source that it will be a major revamp of the design and that Apple is experimenting with new ways of charging the phone. Perhaps it will be a wireless charging method similar to the HP Palm Pre's Touchstone charger.
source: 2DayBlog.com

iPhone 6 is in the works?

We don't even have the iPhone 5 out, and here is word of the iPhone 6 alongside its charging plans that have been bandied about as a teaser. It seems that experiments have already been done for the 2012 version of the phone, where it will rely on a new method that will juice up the handset. According to the Wall Street Journal, they do not know what will entail, but it will most probably be inductive in nature – bringing wireless charging to the masses just like how HP did with their webOS-powered devices.

Apple might just end up with the Qi wireless power standard, where users are able to take advantage of it using third-party chargers. No idea on whether Apple will take the same route as that of HP, sporting an Exhibition-like mode which will invoke the need for special applications when docked.

What do you think? Is the iPhone 6 really being leaked before the iPhone 5 or 4S is officially released? We live in a mad, mad world.
source: Ubergizmo