Tech
Rumors Go Overdrive on iPhone 5
The online world can’t get enough of rumors swirling around the release of iPhone 5. Bloggers, tech writers and websites continuously speculate when Apple will launch the smartphone and what are the possible features of this device.
Industry sources say that the sixth-generation iPhone may include a 3D camera which will have huge implications for iPhone application development. According to Patently Apple, the tech giant has filed for a patent on a new 3D imaging camera that is both applicable to video and photography.
Patently Apple is a news site that provides updates on Apple’s intellectual property moves. The patent application was filed by the tech giant in the third quarter of 2011.
According to the site, the camera will feature depth-detection sensors like RADAR, LIDAR and Laser. These sensors can use stereo disparity maps to create 3D images. The blog post also revealed that the cameras boast of advanced luminance sensors and chrominance, which are essential elements in superior color accuracy.
Industry observers note that if the rumors are true, the 3D image capturing would be, by far, the most advanced camera technology the market will have. Current 3D cameras have limited depth-perception capability.
Although Apple has not issued a statement, many are speculating and hoping that iPhone 5 will have these features.
Sources have also noted that Foxconn, the China-based supplier of Apple, has hired 20,000 additional workers in their factories. Speculations swirl that these would work on the iPhone 5.
Apple’s latest iPhone 4S was launched last October 11. It was the first Apple smartphone launched without Steve Jobs, who by then was battling with cancer and could not make his traditional unveiling speech. Jobs died a day after the iPhone 4S launch.
