What to expect in the new iPhone

Finding the best guesses in a thicket of rumors.

Published June 9, 2008 3:42PM (EDT)

We'll know what's in the new iPhone shortly after 10 a.m. Pacific -- that's when Apple CEO Steve Jobs starts his presentation in San Francisco -- but in the meantime, lets sort through the rumors to get at the most-likely specs of Apple's new mobile:

  • 3G networking: This is certain. Apple and AT&T have confirmed that the second-generation iPhone will have faster data speeds than today's model, which uses a slower networking system called EDGE.
  • A more open operating system: This is also guaranteed. Apple introduced a software development kit, or SDK, for the iPhone months ago, allowing third-party developers to create programs for the new model (and current models).
  • GPS: This is a near certainty. According to several reports over the last few months -- including a confirmation by Engadget -- the new phone will include GPS mapping capabilities.
  • It'll be cheaper: This one's not nearly as certain, but seems probable. Reports in recent days suggest that Apple, reconsidering its previous strategy, is now allowing phone carriers to subsidize the cost of the iPhone when customers buy a mobile plan. According to USA Today's sources, the phone, which now goes for $399, could sell for as low as $199.

By Farhad Manjoo

Farhad Manjoo is a Salon staff writer and the author of True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society.

MORE FROM Farhad Manjoo


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