Everything We Know About The iPhone 6S So Far

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It's almost September, which means we might just be weeks away from learning about Apple's next iPhone.

Although we don't know anything concrete yet, various leaks and notes from analysts have painted a picture of what we might be able to expect from the successor to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Based on what we've heard, it sounds as if the changes will focus more on enhancing existing features such as the iPhone's screen and camera rather than a total redesign.

It will probably be called the iPhone 6S.

DailyMotion/Oval Picture

A concept of the iPhone 7 (not associated with Apple).

If Apple maintains its current naming convention, the next iPhone will either be called the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7. Most reports have referred to it as the iPhone 6S, although KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo wrote in June that he believes it will be called the iPhone 7.

It will likely have the same Force Touch technology Apple put into the Apple Watch.

Business Insider / Matt Johnston

The next iPhone will come with Apple's Force Touch technology that made its debut in the new MacBook and Apple Watch, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The Force Touch technology in the so-called iPhone 6S will be different from what is in Apple's other recent products, Kuo said.

He doesn't think it will detect pressure as the sensor in the new MacBook's trackpad does, but rather it will sense "contact area on which the finger touches the screen to decide how big the pressure is."

9to5Mac's Mark Gurman also believes Apple will include Force Touch in its next iPhone, and various analysts we've spoken to have said the same.

And you'll be able to use this Force Touch technology to trigger new features in iOS.

REUTERS / Kai Pfaffenbach

It sounds as if the Force Touch screen will allow for various shortcuts in iOS, according to 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, who says he spoke with a source who used a prototype from Apple.

For example, you'd be able to do things including dropping pins in Apple Maps and scrolling through the iPhone media player by applying more pressure to the screen instead of swiping.

It may launch on September 25.

Apple may release its next iPhone on September 25, according to the blog Mobile News, which claims to have obtained an internal staff email sent to employees of the British carrier Vodafone.

The email reportedly outlined launch plans for the next iPhone, saying the phone would be released on September 25 with preorders starting September 18.

Apple will almost certainly launch the iPhone 6S in September, as it has done with new iPhones in the past, but there's no telling exactly when.

Even if Mobile News' email is legitimate, there's no evidence to prove that Vodafone has any knowledge of Apple's iPhone launch plans.

It may come in two sizes, just like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Business Insider

Kuo also believes Apple will stick to the sizes it introduced in September and will offer the next iPhone in 4.7- and 5.5-inch variants

The next iPhone may be more durable, too.

Apple

Apple may use the same Series 7000 aluminum found on the Apple Watch Sport's casing for its next iPhone, according to Kuo.

This is said to be 60% more durable than the aluminum Apple uses for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

The iPhone 6S may be a bit bigger than the iPhone 6.

Business Insider

Kuo also said he thought the next iPhone would be 0.15 millimeters taller and 0.2 millimeters thicker than the iPhone 6, but it's unclear why.

The extra thickness could be due to the new aluminum Apple reportedly plans to use, if Kuo's predictions turn out to be correct.

But it will probably look a lot like the iPhone 6.

9to5Mac

The next iPhone will probably look a lot like the iPhone 6, if recent leaks turn out to be true. One of the most notable leaked photos comes from 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, and it shows what the back casing and interior of the iPhone 6S reportedly looks like. Here's an image showing how the phone looks from the back.

Here's another photo that gives us a clue about what the iPhone 6S will look like.

9to5Mac

Another photo published by Gurman shows the phone's internal layout.

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The camera may be a lot better.

George Frey/Stringer/Getty Images

One of the more plausible rumors seems to be that the next iPhone's camera will get a big improvement. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White told Business Insider that he's seen evidence in Apple's supply chain that indicates the next iPhone could come with an improved 12-megapixel camera.

Blogger John Gruber previously said he heard that the next iPhone would have the "biggest camera jump ever." Apple also recently acquired the Israel-based camera company LinX for an estimated $20 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. LinX's technology could reduce noise and help the iPhone take clearer photos in low-light conditions, among other improvements, according to an analyst note from Macquarie Research.

Specifically, Apple may upgrade the sensors on both the front and rear cameras for its next iPhone.

Apple

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White told Business Insider that he's seen evidence in Apple's supply chain that indicates the next iPhone could come with an improved 12-megapixel camera.

This echos what Kuo has said in previous notes, and it would be a significant step up from the iPhone's 8-megapixel camera.

But there's more compelling evidence about Apple's future plans for the iPhone's camera hidden within the code for iOS 9.

Developer Hazma Sood discovered code that suggests the front-facing camera on the next iPhone will support 1080p video capture, 24-frames-per-second slow-motion shooting, a panoramic mode, and a flash.