The next-generation iPhone will launch in the second quarter of 2012 and have a 4.6in Retina display.
That’s according to claims made by sources in the South Korean media and picked up in a report carried by Reuters.
However, neither Apple nor its major display providers Samsung and LG have commented on the claims, which were made anonymously.
The report also says that Samsung’s Galaxy S II has a 4.6in display, which is incorrect, as it is actually 4.3in, but this is still much larger than the 3.7in display currently used by Apple’s iPhones. However, Apple has resisted increasing the screen size of the iPhone in the past with the late co-founder Steve Jobs apparently believing that it could lead to a ‘fragmented’ iOS experience.
Meanwhile, analysts at investment firm Barclays believe that Apple is currently mulling over which components to use in the next-generation iPhone, Apple Insider reports.
Testing and evaluation of components such as Qualcomm’s MDM9615 LTE chip is apparently taking place at the moment. Other firms such as Skyworks Solutions, TriQuint Semiconductor, and Avago Technologies have also provided components to Apple for testing.
However, Barclays disagrees with the South Korean sources who believe that the new iPhone will launch in the second quarter – it reckons that September is the earliest likely launch date.
