Rumours have suggested that Apple could be preparing to launch three new iPhones this year, a low-cost iPhone mini, a bigger iPhone or 'iPhablet', and an iPhone 6. Based on those rumours, a new concept images have been created to illustrate what Apple's new iPhones could look like.
Toronto-based 3D designer Peter Zigich published the concept images on his website on Wednesday, explaining that he thinks Apple could move the Home Button to the side of the iPhone for its next generation, because it "takes up a lot of space at the front."
Moving the Home button to the side of the device would allow for a bigger screen or a smaller iPhone, Zigich says, perhaps allowing for an additional row of icons in a device with the same physical dimensions as the iPhone 5.
Apple made its iPhone 5 taller than its predecessors, adding an extra row of icons to the Home Screen. Zigich's proposed iPhone 6 design would enable users to see a total of 28 icons at once.
SEE: iPhone 6 release date, rumours and leaked images
Zigich has also come up with a concept design for what he calls the 'iPhone 6 mini' and the 'iPhone 6 XL'.
Zigich's iPhone 6 mini has a screen size similar in dimensions to the iPhone 4S's display, but, again, with the home buttons on the side to allow for a smaller overall size for the device.
SEE: Low-cost iPhone mini 'makes sense' for Apple says analyst after meeting with Apple CFO
Reports have suggested that Apple is working on a cheaper iPhone that could launch as early as June, in order to address emerging markets such as China and India.
SEE: Research leaves analyst "confident" that Apple will launch cheaper iPhone as early as June
The iPhone 6 XL depicted in the illustration has a bigger screen size than the iPhone 6, with a whopping 40 icons shown on the Home screen. Unlike the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 mini, the iPhone 6 XL is wider than previous generations of iPhone, at 70mm, allowing for five icon columns.
In January, a Russian site created renderings to illustrate what an iPhone with a 4.8in display could look like following reports from China that suggested Apple is preparing to launch such device to compete with rival smartphone makers' 'phablet' devices, such as Samsung's Galaxy Note.
SEE: iPhone 5S and 'iPhablet' could help Apple shares recover, say analysts
Finally, Zigich notes that iPhone owners would benefit from an improved way of finding apps already installed on the iPhone. iOS 7 could bring an improved user interface that helps iPhone owners find, organise, search and choose apps in an easy an intuitive way, he says, promising a concept illustration of such feature in the near future.
What do you think about Zigich's concept images? Do you think Apple will launch a smaller, cheaper iPhone and a bigger iPhone this year? Let us know in the comments section below, or on Twitter.
[Via Mashable]
See also:
iPhone 6 rumours: leaked motherboard photo, quad-core CPU, cheaper
iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 spotted at Apple suppliers, both to launch this year - report
iPhone 6 rumours: 'iPhone 5S motherboard with quad-core A7 chip' leaked
Apple slowing iPhone 5 production in preparation for iPhone 6 launch - analyst
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Comments received
ari-boy said on Thu, 28 Feb 2013
My God those products look ugly!! I don't believe for one moment Apple would release anything resembling that. Why the infatuation with more icons on the screen? – you can't see the wood for the trees!!
In my opinion the current iOS has had it's day and it's now time for a major overhaul. I don't understand why the icon and folder view is fixed. Surely multiple ways to view your apps/folders on screen is the future?
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