Wrong of us to leave off the gossip about the new iPhone. Not even an Irish version, shown here. No one, you understand, actually knows. All we can make are informed guesses. And when they turn out to be totally wrong we will pretend it was the next chap, not us.

MacRumors has discovered code inside the OS X 2.2.1 firmware released earlier this week that describes an ‘IPhone 2,1′ model.

Previous discoveries have shown that Apple uses this labeling nomenclature for both the iPhone and the iPod Touch.

(Where does this gets us? Not very far. But in the land of the unknowing the slightest clue can be inflated to add meaning.)

The original iPhone was labeled ‘1,1′, while the iPhone 3G was model ‘1,2.’ The iPod Touch has already advanced to a second-generation design, according to CNet as the iPod Touch released at September’s music event received the ‘2,1′ label inside its firmware.

There is minor supporting evidence.

Correct to assume that the iPod Touch number changed significantly with the addition of a new processor. Therefore, it is an at least theoretically possible we will be getting a similar upgrade with the next iPhone. In fairness, add it altogether and you come to the conclusion that there is a plan to upgrade the iPhone’s graphics sometime in the near future. And the favorite month would be perhaps July.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller seemed to imply earlier this year that Apple was locked into a June/July upgrade cycle with the iPhone. He mentioned the fact that it wanted to avoid clashing with Macworld’s January date (although that now seems pretty iffy) to take any of the glamor away.

Given all of this Poirot would conclude, mon amis, that an American summer iPhone release is going to happen.  But, but, but. Apple, with evil, rat cunning, has a habit of changing important parts of their machines as and when. A fair bet would be that Apple in the next month or doubles the capacity of the iPhone and iPod Touch.

MacRumors (just think of how many people are paid serious money digging into what Apple is going to do and how many people at Cupertino wet their pants each day as they read the rumor and how desperate it must be to maintain total security) claims it has uncovered software changes being used for the iPhone.

Specifically, the site notes that in the iPhone’s current firmware there exists a reference to the ‘iPhone 2.1.’

Let us now fall into the trap of mistaking it of the iPhone software version 2.1,. Good Lord, no.

What we are talking about is a hardware number designation. For example, the original iPhone was ‘iPhone 1,1′ and the iPhone 3G is ‘iPhone 1,.2.’

The iPhone ad platform and analytics company PinchMedia, has also apparently noticed this iPhone 2,1 in its ad logs.

Apple released the original iPhone in the summer of 2007 and followed it up one year later with the iPhone 3G. If you have followed that collect your free ice lolly on the way out.

Venture Beat believes, at a guess a new one is about to hit us possibly, but only just possibly, with multi-core chips.

The wish list of new features for the iPhone is long, but most, like copy and paste, can be done by way of software update.

The new iPhone and iPod Touch will have many changes. We have no idea what. Nor has anyone else outside Apple.

The only hardware changes that get thrown around every once in a while are a version with a physical keyboard (which isn’t happening, and shouldn’t because you can buy one separately and I have an order in) or an iPhone with a better camera (which seems to be pretty certain making what exists better is a simply and, very important this, it is an inexpensive job.)

Where we currently fall down with both machines is battery life. A supplemental battery works but takes away the whole point.

There has been a massive breakthrough in battery life since the last version so there is plenty to hope. Here’s hoping that Apple created some new way to get excellent battery life in the iPhone.

Related:

AT&T reveals price plans, offers contract-less iPhones

How to dual boot your iPhone with multiple firmware versions

3G iPhone to offer optional 2G mode

iPhone will be great for business users with new firmware

iPhone firmware 2.0 already jailbroken

Entry was posted on Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 4:04 am under News, Rumor, iPhone, iPod Touch.  Print This Post

Read more entries by Gareth Powell.
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