Now that the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness is behind us, why not kick off the next-gen iPad and iPhone rumor mill again? Yesterday there were reports of a 4-inch screen on the next iPhone and now, 9to5Mac says the release notes in a new developer version of iOS points to a revamped iPhone and iPad.
Apple released iOS 5.1 to developers on Monday and the code includes a reference to "iPhone 5,1"—which 9to5Mac said indicates a totally new iPhone, not just an incremental update. For example, the code also references iPhone 4,1 (iPhone 4S) and iPhone 4,2 (iPhone 4), so "a new 4,x model would represent minor external changes, but nothing new on the inside in terms of processing power," 9to5Mac said.
The "5,1" moniker likely references "major internal changes," the blog continued, like a new chip.
In a separate post, 9to5Mac also speculated about the iPad. The code references an iPad 2,4, which the blog said might be a WiMAX version of the iPad for Sprint.
Of course, the notion that Apple is creating new iPhones and iPads should not be a surprise. Apple's first iPad hit the market in April 2010, with the iPad 2 following in March 2011, so unless Cupertino makes us wait like it did with the latest iPhone, a new iPad will likely make its debut in the first half of 2012.
The next iPhone will likely be of more interest. With the iPhone 4S, Apple gave us a faster processor, a souped-up camera, and Siri, among other things, but some iPhone fans were disappointed that Apple didn't unveil a completely revamped iPhone 5. One of the most sought-after features at this point, though, is 4G speeds. Apple reportedly eschewed 4G in the iPhone 4S because LTE chips would bulk up the iPhone. Slimmer chips from Qualcomm are not expected to hit the market until next year, but when they do, we might finally get those 4G speeds on an iPhone.
Until then, the Apple rumor mill begins anew. Are there any features you'd love to see in a new iPad or iPhone? Let us know in the comments.
For more, see Can Apple Survive Without a 4G iPhone?