WWDC 2012: iPhone 5 Hints Revealed Despite No Formal Announcement

Despite no formal announcement regarding the iPhone 5 at the WWDC 2012 address, Computer World believes that Apple may have dropped significant hints about the highly anticipated phone.

Apple did make one thing clear about its phone: it will ship in the fall which is the time period during which the iOS6 operating system will become available.

Other hints provided by Apple include its new Maps App. Since 2007, Apple has relied heavily on Google Maps to the point that users could not remove the App from early iPhones. Apple's new map app, which offers turn-by-turn navigation and new 3D Flyover emulation, is only available on the iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and iPad 3. However, the most notable fact is that the feature is not supported on the iPhone 4 or original iPad.

According to Computer World, the iPhone 4 is powered by the A4 chip while the iPhone 4S utilizes the A5 processor. The iPad 2 also makes uses of the A5 while the iPad 3 uses the more recent A5X processor. What this implies is that the iPhone 5 will either use one of the aforementioned chips, or will use an even faster one. Computer World states it might be an A6 chip.

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Another clue about the phone came from Passbook, a location-aware folder for electronic tickets such boarding passes, gig tickets, shopping vouchers, among others. It will show tickets on-screen when the user arrives at the appropriate location. Computer World cites the similarities to Google Wallet, which does similar things on the devices running the latest Android OS. This could thus be incorporated into the iPhone 5, which would suggest that Apple will also incorporate the Bluetooth v4.0 on their latest phone. The new MacBook Pro supports Bluetooth v4.0 as does the new iPad, the iPhone 4S and the MacBook Air. Any one of these aforementioned products can potentially connect to any Bluetooth Smart device. That may enable a new range of peripheral devices, but more importantly, it may support technology that enables secure device-based payments.

Weeks ago, a video on Youtube presumably revealed the back cover of the phone, which no longer has plain black or white coloring, but instead features a brushed metal look most of the surface. According to the Chicago Tribune, the look is a variation on the look of the back cover of the iPhone 4 and 4S. The video also makes note that the phone is longer than past iterations; this one fits a 4-inch screen diagonally despite being thinner. The phone also appears have a new and smaller dock connector on the bottom where the headphone jack is now also located. There will also be a microphone located between the phone's camera and flash and the phone's SIM card is a smaller size than in the past.