Everything We Know About the iPhone 5 (So Far)

Yesterday, BGR.com reported that the iPhone 5, or whatever it's going to be called, is on track for a fall release and that production on the new handset will begin at the end of July. It also reported that that the phone will have true 4G LTE capabilities and a built-in NFC chip. All good news. But these are just the latest in a long string of reports and rumors that have been floating around since the iPhone 4S was released last fall. As the most anticipated gadget of the year, save for the rumored mini iPad, we've heard absolutely everything—Liquidmetal casing, quad-core processors, and even the possibility of there being not one, but two new iPhones. We've waded through all of them and tried to piece together what seemed like the most viable information regarding the next iPhone 5.

The 30-pin dock connector has been as much apart of Apple as the lowercase "i." Debuting in 2001 on the original iPod, the dock connector has gone on to grace nearly every iDevice. However, according to a report from TechCrunch that's all about to change with the iPhone 5. In an effort to clear up more space within the device, Apple is switching to a smaller 19-pin dock connector. Rumors have Apple adopting the connector for all future iPhones, iPods, and iPads. This is horrible news for people who have invested hundreds in speakers and other multimedia devices made to work with Apple's line of portable gadgets.

Near-field Communication is, supposedly, the next big thing in mobile computing. According to analysts, and Google, digital wallets are going to change the game. A bunch of high-end Android phones are already equipped the technology. Now it seems Apple may be joining the fray. At WWDC, Apple introduced what may be its foray into digital payments: Passbook. Sure, it only allows you to store coupons and gift cards, but many feel that's just the beginning. If that's not enough, last month, 9 to 5 Mac reported on two iPhone 5 prototypes that hinted at containing NFC chips.

One of the first rumors to spring up about the next iPhone involved Apple opting for a larger display. The magic number so far has been four inches. In May, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was tapping its suppliers for larger displays in order to compete with the bevy of Android devices that sport a wide range of screen sizes. A month later, an analyst from KGI reported that he believes the iPhone 5's display will actually be 4.08-inches and will have a 16:9 aspect ration for true HD viewing.

One of the ways Apple is reportedly hoping to slim-up the iPhone is by adopting a thinner touchscreen display. Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the next iPhone will sport display with the touchscreen sensors built into the LCD panel, eliminating the need for a separate touch-screen layer. The display, made by, Sharp, LG Display Co., and a new company called Japan Display Inc., will be manufactured using a new technology called "in-cell." While there's no word on whether the new screen will be more energy efficient that the previous models, the extra space will allow Apple to possibly add a larger battery.

The 2012 Mobile World Congress was the unofficial coming out for quad-core processors. Since then Samsung, HTC, and LG have all released smartphones with four-core processors. Earlier this month DigiTimes published a report saying Apple is working on a quad-core processor based on Samsung's Exynos 4 architecture for the iPhone 5. Seeing as how the iPad has a dual-core A5X processor, that would make the iPhone the most powerful mobile device available from Apple.

In order to truly compete with the high-end Android phones, the iPhone 5 will need to be able to connect to high-speed data networks. Until recently, there has been no word on whether or not that would happen. Yesterday, BGR received confirmation from a trusted source that the iPhone 5 will indeed have integrated 4G LTE radios. In addition to that, it will also have 1 GB of RAM, double the amount of the iPhone 4S.

One of the biggest complaints lodged against the iPhone 4/4S is the crummy quality of its front-facing FaceTime camera. Seeing as how FaceTime is one of Apple's marquee applications, the iPhone 5 will reportedly get a serious upgrade in the form of a HD FaceTIme camera. Mingchi Kuo, an analyst for KGI, in June said he believes the front camera will get a massive upgrade while the rear camera will see very minor improvements. Good news for those of you in long-distance relationships.

A number of different rumors have Apple taking special measures to ensure that the next iPhone is thinner than the current generation. Yes, we know the new iPad is thicker than the iPad 2, but a thicker tablet is different than a thicker phone. One goes in your bag, one goes in your pocket. There have been reports of Apple manufacturing the phone out of Liquidmetal instead of glass, and there being a unibody design. We don't really care how it's done, we just hope the next iPhone is thinner and lighter. It doesn't have to be as thin as the iPod Touch, but—at least make it comparable to the Galaxy S III.

Log on to the Apple online store and you'll see that you can get an iPhone 4 for $99 and an iPhone 3GS for free. In keeping with recent tradition, when the iPhone 5 launches, Apple is expected to discount the iPhone 4S to $99 and bump the iPhone 4 down to free. If this happens, the iPhone will be the best free smartphone money can buy.

If the leaked memo from T-Mobile's Chief Marketing Officer, Cole Brodman, is to be believed, America's fourth-largest wireless carrier will not get the iPhone 5. At least not in 2012. Hey, there's always the Samsung Galaxy S III.

Nearly every rumor and report has the new iPhone dropping sometime in early-to-mid fall. Apple is known to hold special events around the September/October time frame to introduce new iDevices, as it did with the iPhone 4S. According to AppleInsider, Brian White, an analyst for Topeka Capital Markets, said sources familiar with Apple's supply chain told him the phone is scheduled for September.