[jemeshsu]

Expected: A5 CPU, higher spec CMOS camera. Let's hope it has larger screen, longer battery life, Bluetooth 4, faster 801n. Or maybe NFC chip for wallet type application? I suspect Square people already has some insight.

Its more than iPhone 5 event: iOS 5, iCloud, new iPod touch, new iPod refreshes or even new Apple TV.

Updated: Not sure why its voted down. I don't work for Apple.

[sonap]

I would trade all of those features for a case design that didn't require me to use a cover without shattering the screen and/or back. I had dropped my 3G/3GS dozens of times with just some scuffs- I've cracked the screen or back on my iPhone 4 thrice :(

[vegashacker]

I've dropped my caseless iPhone 4 on sidewalks and other hard surfaces a handful of times. It's gotten dinged up, but nothing's cracked.

[thatjoshguy]

I have dropped my iPhone on tiles at work without scratching the screen. But in saying that, i've seen others at work crack their screen the same way. Just luck I guess

[mrich]

did you get a new one each time?

[ssharp]

I cracked my 3G screen with as much ease as I cracked my 4, unfortunately.

[zyb09]

Okay here's my prediction from last year, maybe this time I'll be right:

Translucent Home-Button (maybe out of glass).

Contains multiple color LEDs for notification system. If you get an email your Home-Button 'pulses' green and so on.

[mortenjorck]

Unlikely, but ambient visual notification is on my wishlist as well.

If Apple does implement it, my guess is a single-color, white LED backlighting the roundrect label on the home button. "Pulse home button" becomes an additional on/off switch for each app's notifications in Notification Center.

[evilduck]

Apple does have patents for it already: http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/04/apple-bl...

So it's not entirely out of the question.

[twodayslate]

I highly doubt there will be a larger screen. They won't force developers to code for another screen resolution and they won't want to lose the retina.

[stuartjmoore]

I'm guessing the screen resulation will stay the same, just put on a larger screen.

But, this creates a smaller DPI and kind of ruins the retina display.

[seanalltogether]

The current resolution is 326 PPI. I would imagine as long as they stay above 300 they will be kosher.

[matwood]

I agree with you. I think what people are thinking as a 'larger' screen is really Apple shrinking the phone around the current screen. Apple is crazy about thin and small and I'm sure they want the iPhone to be more like the iTouch if possible.

[mitchty]

That or they move more towards the resolution independency thats been around since Tiger.

Think scaleable vector graphics vs pixel. But we'll see.

[msbarnett]

There would have been signs of that in the iOS 5 SDK betas, if it were going to happen.

[rsynnott]

> larger screen

Highly unlikely. They couldn't make it much bigger without either making it uncomfortably close to the device border, or making the device bigger.

> longer battery life

Quite likely. The iPad 2 has better battery life than the original iPad, with a very similar battery. They might be able to get in a process shrink for the iPhone 5, too.

> faster 801n

As I understand it, this would require multiple antennae, so probably not likely for space reasons.

[jwallaceparker]

I think there will be MacBook Pro bumps too. Although I hear the MBP redesign is now pushed back to 2012, unfortunately.

[Tyrannosaurs]

I don't think they'll muddy the waters with that at an iPhone / iOS launch event. MBP refreshes would either distract from the iPhone or be ignored, neither are something that Apple would want.

Refreshes have frequently gone out in the past without any sort of event and I'd guess that this would be the case this time.

[jwallaceparker]

Yeah good call.

They will probably come out this Tuesday the 27th with an announcement on the website.

[notatoad]

the rumours this summer were pretty confident of not just a spec bump but a new air-like design for the next iteration of mbp. i'm sure it'll get it's own event.

[thomasgerbe]

I read similar rumors on MacRumors.

A shame but maybe the new MBP in 2012 will incorporate Ivy Bridge.

[yread]

They could already use the new 2760QM, 2860QM and 2960XM CPUs. It seems they are ~ 15% stronger http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Intel-Sandy-Bridge-Core-...

[dennyabraham]

didn't they just do an mbp refresh this year?

[SonicSoul]

hopefully they'll do away with glass face that shutters from 1 foot drops on the sidewalk.

[ceejayoz]

I hope they don't, because that glass face has been far better to use than any other smartphone I've encountered.

[redthrowaway]

I wonder what the cost increase would be of making it from pyrex or polycarbonate. It definitely wouldn't be a very Apple thing to do, but it would be nice.

[ceejayoz]

My glasses are scratch-resistant polycarb and they're scratched all to hell. The aluminosilicate glass on the iPhone 4 is supposed to be stronger and more shatter resistant than Pyrex.