Sixth-Gen iPhone May Get Full HD Resolution Front Camera, Slim To 7.9mm
Posted by CharlesMoore on Friday Jun 8, 2012 Under iPhone 5 PredictionsAnother financial analyst has weighed in with next iPhone prognostications, this time regarding the cameras.
Appleinsider’s Josh Ong reports that KGI analyst Mingchi Kuo writes in a note to investors earlier this week that Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone may include a full HD resolution capable front-facing camera whose location position would be moved to the middle of the handset, along with “quite a few essential adjustments,” but doesn’t expect Apple to increase the new iPhone’s battery capacity.
Kuo is cited observing that a HD resolution camera would be a better match for the next-gen iPhone’s widely rumored 4-inch display with a more extreme (taller/wider) aspect ratio. WallStreetCheat Sheet’s Aabha Rathee reports that Kuo expects the new iPhone to have a screen measuring 4.08 inches diagonally with a resolution of 1,136 x 640 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9, arguing that a taller but not wider screen help minimize app redevelopment costs, while the 16:9 resolution will offer more viewing space while typing in portrait mode.
However, Kuo reportedly thinks Apple will likely opt to stand pat with the iPhone 4S’s current 8-megapixel rear-facing camera’s resolution, while extending its aperture range up to f/2.2 from the iPhone 4S’s f/2.4 maximum aperture. The analyst also predicted that the rear camera on the next iPhone will be noticeably thinner, “making it the most challenging iPhone design yet.”
Ong notes that Kuo issued an earlier report in April claiming that Apple will slim down the iPhone to 7.9mm or less, which would be substantially thinner than the iPhone 4S’s 9.3mm section, with the in-cell touchscreen technology we’ve discussed here recently expected to account for shaving the new phone’s thickness by as much as 0.4mm.
Once regarded as something of an afterthought mobile phone add-on feature, cellphone/smartphone cameras are now well on their way to displacing traditional point-and-shoot cameras as the consumer’s primary snapshot (and movie recording) device. Consequently, image quality capability in phones is of much greater importance than it used to be, as witnessed by Apple making 8 megapixel and 5 megapixel cameras marquee features of the iPhone 4S and new iPad respectively.
Consequently, it can be reasonably expected that smartphone/tablet camera technology will be advancing alongside computing and graphics rendering features in future development of these devices, along with hopefully greater user control over things like exposure and depth of field possible (while still keeping the default simple for those who just want no-hassle point and shoot capability) for more hands-on engaged photographers, such as the aperture range control mentioned by Mr. Kuo.
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June 8th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
It’s about time Apple upgrades the front facing camera. The iPhone 5 is getting better and better. My only worry is the screen being taller and not wider, which might take some getting used to.
June 8th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
This sounds GOOD! I also noted people stopped talking about NFC and it’s something I’m really looking forward. Has there been any NFC news lately?
June 8th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
@JustinQ I don’t think you’ll be troubled by it. A 16:9 aspect ration is pretty normal, most screens have it. I find the aspect ratio of the iPad weird because it isn’t used anymore for video recording (4:3 is the aspect ratio standard definition TV’s used so it’s pretty obsolete in my opinion). And even though the aspect ration the iPhone has now is not that far off from 16:9, it still leaves much of the screen unused when watching video.
June 8th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
too many leaks for a september announcement . why would , well everything about the iPhone 5 be leaked so early before it’s launched. I think that apple will surprise us at WWDC which is btw after 3 days
June 8th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Although I have been a firm believer all along that the iphone won’t be announced until the fall, the amount of leaks/rumors that have come out in the last couple of weeks seem to be the similar to what we’ve seen in prior years just before the new phone is announced. At this point it wouldn’t surprise me if they announced it at WWDC but there are several rumors that i’m still not buying.
AND, I really hope that the phone is wider and not just taller. I couldn’t care less about a 16:9 aspect ratio display on a phone. I think it’s pretty sad if people are spending soooo much time watching movies/videos on their phones as opposed to a much bigger display. Besides, are there any TV’s on the market that actually have a 16:9 aspect ratio? Most TV’s still have the black bars across the top and bottom of the screen when you watch a widescreen movie. Wouldn’t it be a better idea to fix that on TV’s before on a phone? Maybe its just me but I prefer to enjoy movies without squinting at a tiny phone display. I think the 16:9 ratio for the iphone is overhyped and kind of ridiculous.
June 8th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Can any explain what everyone means by the aspect ratios? E.g: 16:9 and 4:3 in simple terms please. Much appreciated.
June 8th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
*anyone
June 8th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
@James — Aspect ratio = width (16) x height (9). So if you have a 16:9 display and the width is 48″ (16 x 3) the height of the screen will be 27″ (9 x 3). Almost every old tube television was 4:3 meaning it was more a square … only slightly wider than it was tall. Current plasmas, lcd’s, etc are 16:9.
@ Mike D. – Current televisions are 16:9. When you have black bars on the top and bottom of your screen that means the movie was filmed in an even wider format ratio than 16:9.
I’m not sure I like the 16:9 idea either for iPhone 5. That means even though the screen is 4″ diagonally it will not have as much real estate as if it had a 4″ screen with the current ratio which I believe is 3:2.
June 8th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
@Mike D – all plasma/LCD/LED TVs are 16:9, the reason you see the black bars is because most movies are filmed in 21:9 (widescreen). This has caused several manufacturers (Vizio comes to mind) to at least show off 21:9 TVs they have developed.
June 8th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Thanks for the clarification. Obviously i’m not very savvy on tv specs.
June 8th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Just saw a photo of a WWDC banner that said ‘iOS 6′ so we can pretty much be sure that’s going to be unveiled. Now all we need is some new hardware to run it!
June 8th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
@Brent
It tell us two things more…
1. the iPhone 5 won’t announce in June to 90%
2. Monday we will see the release timeframe
June 8th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
@Mike D. I’m a teenager…… when I’m bored in the car or at work, I enjoy watching HD videos on my phone. I can’t browse youtube on my TV and I don’t have my own computer (my parents opted to get me an iPad instead of computer) so I just use my phone ore iPad. There is A LOT of wasted screen space on the iPad because of it’s aspect ratio. Not so much on the iPhone but there’s still is some. BTW I was a little reluctant to reveal my teenager status because I thought you’d percieve me as a brat or something like that. Please take on this comment lightly, I ain’t looking for any trouble, just exposing my situation.
June 8th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
@Brent, thanks for the heads up about iOS 6 banner, here’s the link in all it’s glory:
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/08/wwdc-banner-confirms-ios-6-discussion-and-name/
June 8th, 2012 at 5:19 pm
One More, bigger pic:
http://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=342316&d=1339182189
Shows the name of the center in the background
June 8th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Good! I was pretty disappointed with the iPad 3′s front facing camera still not being any better…
Its like they focused on the rear camera and completely forgot that the front camera was even there
June 9th, 2012 at 8:50 am
It would be nice to have a choice…….in the resolution of the main camera. I really don’t like being forced to 1080p video as a non-changeable default on the 4s. At least let us drop to 720p to save some space that builds up fast.
But maybe that’s the point….
June 11th, 2012 at 10:26 am
Really, can’t wait any longer!! My abo is at it’s end and i’m curious about this New iPhone! Hopefully it will annouced at the WWDC. The specs look good
June 12th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
looking forward for the launch of the sixth generation iPhone. i wonder what new features does it holds… m so excited just by reading this info on this blog.i hope that Apple will quickly announce about the six-gen at the WWDC.