iPhone 5 Conference Expected to Surprise

The iPhone 5 is expected to make its debut at the official Apple conference on September 12th. Apple has released an official invitation for the conference.

The minimalist styled invitation only sports the words “it’s almost here” atop of a giant number 12 casting a shadow of the number 5. The suggestive invitation has Apple users and iPhone 5 hopefuls anxious for the September 12th surprise. Plenty of rumor sites are reporting that the new device may not be called the iPhone 5, but rather “The New iPhone” as Apple did with the third generation iPad.

In addition to the iPhone 5 announcement, Rene Ritchie from iMore.com has reported that the iPad Mini will also be announced at the special September 12th event. Ritchie has speculated that both the iPhone 5 and iPad mini release dates will follow 9 days later on September 21st. Although the possible unveiling of these techie toys is only days away there are still many rumors churning to energize Apple fans.

If you haven’t checked it out already, be sure to read our iPad Mini – When, What, and Why article.

The iPhone 5 is expected to be slimmer and offer a larger screen with a more resistant glass. A redesigned camera and smaller dock, a larger battery, a repositioned headphone jack, and bigger, louder speakers are all expected to be unique modifications for iPhone 5. The phone has also been rumored to offer over 200 new features and support faster LTE data networks. Unsurprisingly, a “tear drop” shape is also speculated, following the design of its bigger cousin MacBook Air. Unlike its predecessors the iPhone 5 will house the new iOS 6 interface technology. A smarter Siri, more helpful maps, and a FaceTime compatible with cellular networks are only a few of the exciting interface improvements. As for the iPad Mini, the smaller version of the iPad, the tablet is expected to be 7 to 8 inches diagonally, weigh less than its predecessors, and has been reported has housing the IGZO display. It is expected that the Mini’s battery life will reach 10 hours but the actual battery wattage is unknown. Speculators anticipate either a 35-watt hour battery, a 40-watt-hour battery, or the 42.5-watt-hour battery used in other iPads.

iPhone 5 prices have been discussed as well. With carrier contracts the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models were all closely, if not exactly priced. 16GB models were priced at $199 and 32GB models were $299. 64GB models dropped in price with the iPhone 4S, running at $399. It may be safe to expect similar price ranges for the iPhone 5 but even safer to assume slightly higher price tags due to advanced additions and adjustments. The iPad Mini costs are estimated between $250-$299.

As the conference approaches stay tuned to Gaming Illustrated for your iPhone 5 and Apple news.