Apple
Apple Prepares for an iPhone 6 with a Bigger Screen in iOS 8
This fall we expect to see an iPhone 6 with a bigger screen and a new tool in the iOS 8 beta program and support for a new user interface design is as close to confirmation of a bigger screen that we’ll get.
For the past several months iPhone 6 rumors focused on a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch display with two models coming this fall. The iPhone 6 release is expected in September, right with iOS 8, and a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 release may not arrive until later in the year.
We continue to see hints of the iPhone 6 in new rumors and notes to investors, but iOS 8 actually shows us some of what we can expect.
Read: What iOS 8 Tells us About the iPhone 6
In addition to iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, Apple announced a new developer tool that is essential to making new iPhone and iPad apps for iOS 8. Inside this app is a new option to develop apps for an iPhone with a resizable display.
With iOS 8 comes XCode 6, with support to develop for resizable iPhones, giving developers a way to test for an iPhone 6 with a larger screen.
Of course there is not an iPhone with a resizable display, but when a developer selects this option they are able to input the size of the iPhone or iPad screen of their choice. Mac4Ever shares this discovery, and a screenshot that shows a higher resolution iPhone in the iOS simulator.
Although this is not a direct confirmation this is additional proof that Apple is working on an iPhone 6 with a larger display and they want developers to be ready to offer apps that work on a bigger screen and higher resolution soon after the release.
Read: 51 iOS 8 Features You’ll Actually Use
The last time Apple announced a larger iPhone screen developers updated apps to use a larger screen, and this time around it looks like Apple is giving developers the tools they need well ahead of time.
In May Mark Gurman at 9t05Mac shared a potential iPhone 6 resolution of 1704 x 960, which could offer a sharper, better looking mobile display. This same resolution may appear on a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 to simplify the overall development process. This larger resolution would allow for more information on the screen at once.
In his report Gurman pointed to new development tools to support multiple device resolutions arriving ahead of an iPhone 6 release. At WWDC 2014 Apple showed off another new part of the app development process that will help ease the transition to a bigger iPhone 6.
Apple is preparing developers to handle an iPhone 6 with a bigger screen, without actually talking about the device.
Chris Davies of SlashGear reports that Apple is also showing developers a new storyboard that delivers a single user interface designer to handle different screen sizes, orientations and resolutions. In a demo at a session for developers at WWDC 2014 Apple showed this off with the ability to position menu items and buttons differently based on the device size.
This new method may also play into the rumored iOS 8 multitasking feature that could allow users to split the iPad screen in two and run two apps side-by-side. Apple did not announce this feature on stage at WWDC 2014. It is possible they will add it in to a later beta, announce on stage later this fall or save for an iOS 8.1 release.
In addition to a bigger screen we expect a new design for the iPhone 6. Leaks suggest Apple plans to use more metal in the new iPhone, with curved edges and rounded corners as well as a Touch ID support. We could see a new Apple A8 processor that will leverage new iOS 8 features like Metal for better gaming and graphics. Although the details are not crystal clear we expect enhancements to the iPhone 6 camera this fall.
Read the latest iPhone 6 rumors and leaks to catch up on what to expect this fall.
