Apple is said to be “far along in its iOS 6 development,” report reveals

Jun 1, 2012 08:06 GMT  ·  By

The next iPhone will have 1GB of RAM, according to unnamed sources handling prototypes at Apple. iOS 6 was the big giveaway, and it appears Apple will not have trouble launching this phone by October, as “Apple is far along in its iOS 6 development.”

The prototype unit responsible for this information is said to use an A5-*** CPU variant, as well as the same type of Qualcomm baseband chips found inside the cellular-capable iPad 3 boasting LTE networking.

Mac-centric site 9to5mac is being told “Apple is far along in its iOS 6 development,” indicating that “an October new iPhone deadline should be relatively easy,” at least as far as software is concerned. Apple could well release the iPhone 5 even earlier than October.

There’s more. The 3D maps application is not what we were told it was. At least not entirely: “...contrary to the previous report, the GPS/Compass icon on the iPhone is not connected to a 3D icon.”

In fact, the application is geared towards the iPad more than it is towards the iPhone, says the report.

“Also, the buttons are bigger on the iPad making it easier not to accidentally hit the wrong button,” it adds.

Last but not least, Apple has an entirely new iOS application on the launchpad, this source said. The unveiling may occur at WWDC 2012 alongside a preview of iOS 6.

According to the latest leaks, Apple’s iPhone is almost confirmed to have a larger display and an overall taller body, too.

Whether or not this was a planned route for Apple, competitors like Samsung with their armies of 4-inch smartphones are making it imperative for the Cupertino, California-based giant to keep up with the trends. Not that the iPhone 5 couldn’t well be a trend-setter itself. We’ll just have to wait and see.