So this starts a new category I’d like to call my Crystal Ball posts. I tend to try to keep up with the rumors, both reasonable and far-fetched, and tend to understand or guess where the market is going. And as such, many times I’m asked my thoughts on what is coming out for tech, and I’d like to think I’m typically pretty close. But I haven’t ever jotted down my predictions, just relying that my mind was remember my thoughts on the subject properly. So that being said here is my first “official” prediction.

iPhone 4GS

I believe the next iPhone release is going to be pretty standard. Much akin to the 3GS update. Most of the specs will stay the same. The design will be basically the same. Colors the same. Put shortly if you look at it you arne’t going to be able to tell the difference. RAM most likely will stay at 512MB, but perhaps a single-stick to reduce space to allow for the newer chip sets.  Or maybe bumped up to 1GB for any new additional stress the OS will put on it.  Much like they had to for video processing in the 3GS.

But what would a new iPhone be without some differences. The processor will match the iPad 2 chip, which is the new 1Ghz Apple A5 processor. To handle the new dual core chip, the new iPhone will receive a dual band Qualcomm chip (as the older dual band chips can’t support dual core processors). So this means one model for both AT&T & Verizon. No “4G” network (so no LTE chips). The camera will get a boost up to a Sony 8 MegaPixel lens. The battery life will improve (but nothing substantial).

And of course there are grey areas. Things I’m fairly certain the “iPhone 4GS” will not have, but will be in the “NEW” iPhone 5. These are the things I rather don’t believe will be in the next iPhone , but will be in next model to get the most “IT’S NEW!” value next year. The HD will go to 32GBs / 64GBs, Near Field Communications (NFC), LTE & and probably a case redesign. With the iCloud service, they’re won’t be as big a need for HD increase. NFC needs more wide-spread adoption to be available everywhere, and there is too many kinks still to be worked out. Many will remember that 3G was out when apple launched the iPhone, but waited till it became more universal (instead of a few cities) before adding it to the next version… I believe LTE will be in the same boat. And a case redesign will be required if nothing else to show “THIS IS NEW!!!”

There’s also always the rumors that seem way out there about the iPhone. This time around it’s all about curved glass. If we see that it’ll most likely be in next years model, if even then.

Release date will be most likely sometime in September (probably “late September”) at similar price points to what we see now. All in all an outwardly the same iPhone you’ve known for over a year now, just with some tweaks on the inside. The two big things will be the “one phone to rule them all” dual band availability, and the new iOS5 that’s sitting inside it.

…

Some caveats… I don’t know anything official, nor have anyone “on the inside”. These are my best guesses at time of this post based on the rumors that have been going around as well as my general understanding of consumers, business, and tech trends.