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Tue, 01 Dec 2009 Is Apple testing a new iPhone model?

The Pandav reference seems to be the first use by a live device

John Cox Network World

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A software analytics program has detected evidence that Apple may be testing a new iPhone model in the San Francisco area. But there’s very little hard evidence of what the newness might be.

Earlier in November, software developer Pandav discovered in usage logs for its iBART public transportation app that an iPhone had identified itself as “iPhone 3,1.” The identification was picked up via the PinchMedia analytics software embedded in iBART. MacRumors and AppleInsider reported on the discovery.

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The newest iPhone model is the 3GS, which used “iPhone 2,1” as its identifier. According to the Web reports, Apple raises the first of the two numbers when it introduces a major new hardware model of the popular smartphone. AppleInsider notes that the original iPhone was iPhone 1,1, and the iPhone 3G, featuring only minor changes, was iPhone 1,2.

MacRumors reports that the first iPhone 3,1 reference was uncovered in the phone’s firmware back in August. The Pandav reference seems to be the first use by a live device. The site reports Apple first began testing what became the 3GS model in October 2008, about 8 months before its release in 2009.

The use of the numeral 3 in the new identifies suggests that Apple has major changes in store for the hardware. And that prospect is fueling all kinds of speculation.

One long-rumoured possibility is a Verizon-based iPhone, though Verizon’s aggressive promotion of the new Motorola Droid in the US, with its TV ad campaign mocking the otherwise-unnamed “iDon’t” phone, might have cooled that opportunity.

Another possibility, cited by ChannelWeb, is a multi-core CPU that could dramatically boost the iPhone’s processing power. But the recently introduced 3GS model was a pretty dramatic boost itself, with the Samsung S5PC100 system-on-a-chip, which is based on ARM’s Cortex-A8, which was only introduced in early 2009 as a very high-performance, low-power CPU optimized for handhelds.

The apparent discovery comes at a time when speculation is surging anew about a possible deal between Apple and cellular chipmaker Qualcomm, according to a report in Taiwan-based DigiTimes (picked up by AppleInsider). Qualcomm’s 3G modems are missing from many popular smartphones, including iPhone, Palm Pre, and RIM’s BlackBerries. The iPhone currently uses a 3G chipset from Infineon.

But Qualcomm just announced the sampling of its latest Mobile Data Modem product line, which can support dual-carrier High-Speed Packet Access Plus (which is a 3GPP standard that combines adjacent carriers into one transmission) or multi-mode 3G/Long Term Evolution (LTE). Earlier this year, European mobile carrier Vodafone achieved 20Mbps download speeds in a test of HSPA+ based on Qualcomm silicon, and plans to evaluate dual-carrier to boost that still more.

Another hardware change could be a Wi-Fi speed boost. Today, iPhone users are limited to 20-25Mbps throughput with a Wi-Fi radio configured to support 802.11bg. A single-stream 11n chipset could boost Wi-Fi throughput to more than 80Mbps. Earlier this year, it was discovered that the newest iPod touch model (identical to the iPhone but without a 3G cellular radio) has a has a Broadcom Wi-Fi chip that can support single-stream 11n, though it’s not currently activated by Apple.

It’s possible a new model could combine new hardware components cooperating with a new hardened iPhone operating system to prevent the iPhone from being unlocked from a carrier’s network, which in the US is AT&T. Apple recently advertised for a senior level software engineer to lead a team focused on secure OS booting and installation, and cryptographic services among other security-related charges.

Another recent job posting is seeking a software engineer for the iPhone Maps team, which is focused not only on embedding an interactive map in an iPhone app but also on furthering an array of new, more sophisticated location-based services that draw on the phone’s GPS and compass capabilities.

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Comments received


Alex said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

I think the next iPhone should have multitasking, and a 64GB memory option.

MadAxeMan said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

iPhone 3,1
I think that that is the tablet myself.

Dragonfly said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

I'm not sure multi-tasking is necessary, but certainly the ability to keep applications open (in a paused state) and switch between them would be very useful. If you are sent 2 hyperlinks in an email, clicking one closes Mail then opens Safari, you then need to close Safari and open Mail again to view the other one.... Switching back to the email with the links would be better.

If you're writing a note and want to check an email, it would be good if the note could be swiped to one side while you checked the email, then returned to where you were.

Update an App, and you are returned to the home screen, you need to then re-open the Apps store again if you hadn't finished looking there.

Also the number of times I double tap something to zoom in, or try scrolling the screen only to find I've hit a hyper-link and it starts to load another web page. I think if it doesn't detect an item to zoom into, it should just zoom in 2x anyhow. Pinch zooming is ok but can be a bit laborious.

William Dowell said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

Wouldn't it be strange if Apple wasn't testing the next version?

My bet is: background apps (by release date, the iphone is about the only one which doenst), wireless syncing (which they'll restrict to the new one, claiming it's because of .n wifi), 64gb, and who knows - a better screen. Oh and matt / coulrs with a slightly sharper look (a la iMac)

Santa Claus said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

I think you all should stop rattling your presents to find out what you've got and spoil the surprise.
Santa X
PS don't be naught be nice !

Macdemon said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

My wish list for the new iPhone is:

1. HD1080p OLED screen
2. 7.1 Megapixel camera with an LED flash
3. Camera on the face of the iPhone for video conferencing
4. Multi-tasking (used in the same way we scroll homepages)
5. Faster processor or multi-processer unit
6. More internal memory (128Gigs??)
7. FULL Bluetooth capability so iPhone can exchange files and connect to other devices.

The iPhone started the smatphone war, so lets take it to the next level.

Mark Hattersley said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

Interesting wish list you'v got there Macdemon. You might get some of them but I think 1080p is out of the question. The resolution is currently 480x320 and at 160ppi its considered overkill already (not that that's a bad thing).

Plus Apple only goes up to 720p. Honestly, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference on an iPhone screen. Maybe the tablet will go up to 720p...

OLED is on the cards though.

I think a better camera of some description is also a given. I'd like to see a flash too. Guess it depends on battery power. There's a patent out on a camera built-in to a screen. I think we'll see iChat on a future iPhone.

Multi-tasking is a must for me. If it doesn't do it I'll probably not buy it.

Faster CPU...? Maybe. The iPhone 3GS is pretty powerful but I'm sure as time goes on it'll always get a bit faster.

64GB next.

I'd like to see Airport transfer of files, but there's also the charging business so having a forced dock and charge makes sense.

Macdemon said on Tue, 01 Dec 2009

Hey thanks Mark.
The Samdung Jet (sorry for swearing) has a display which supports 480x800 so Apple need to improve on that.

And the Jet has an 800Mhz processor.

C'mon Apple. You can give us these features and technologies.

Al said on Wed, 02 Dec 2009

A battery that lasts more than 6 hours of moderate use in my 3GS. Who the heck tested that? I feel ripped off and the phone is going back to Apple direct the second I get my AppleCare through the post.

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