The iPhone 6 and iPad 5 release date will be heavy on consumers' minds now that the Galaxy S4's launch is out of the way, and Android's biggest smartphone and tablet competitor, Apple, will be warming up for its release season excitement. And excitement indeed will have to be raised if Apple hopes to improve its situation in the market upon the release of the iPhone 6 or 5S.
As of late, sales have been a little weak for iOS based devices, while approval ratings for Steve Jobs' successor, Tim Cook, haven't exactly been skyrocketing.
Everywhere we turn we keep hearing the same thing. Innovate Apple, or Die.
iPhone 6 and iPad 5 to Share a Release Date? 6 Year Anniversary May Be It
It's been 6 years now since Apple released of the first iPhone, on June 29, 2007. Few will forget the day that the original iPhone was introduced to the public at the Macworld 2007 convention, in San Francisco. From that moment forward the consumerized electronics market has taken the forefront as we all fell in love with and had to have one of those iPhone things...
But with the release of the iPhone 5, many felt the innovation that had once been the earmark of every Apple device had died with its maker. Never before had we heard the words "boring" or "predictable" uttered about any iDevice, but this year we heard those words used more than once to describe the iPhone 5.
What will it take, you might say, for Apple to bring the iPhone 5S or 6 back to the glory days, where people clambered for even a glimpse of the coveted device? Well it's gonna take something special, let me tell you. That "one thing" as Steve Jobs used to say.
And according to an inside source from Apple, via Gizmorati, that special thing may be coming. Only this time, it may come in the form of both the iPhone 6 and the iPad 5 unveiling and shared release date. According to the source, a special event called 'Original Passion, New Ideas', on June 29, 2013 may take place in which the company will celebrate six years of iPhone success while also releasing the iPhone 5S and iPad 5, under the leadership of Apple's current CEO, Tim Cook.
SEE ALSO: iPad 5 Release Date 2013: 5 Rumored Specs To Watch For
Though we've no idea what to expect in this event or if these rumors are to be taken for fact yet, if Apple is planning a shared release date for the iPhone 5S and the iPad 5, the success of this release would be paramount to the future success of the company. It would be the first time two Apple devices were released without a touch of Steve Jobs' involvement. Indeed, they would be the firstborn sons of the current Apple CEO, Tim Cook.
Analyst Says Killer iOS 7 Software Feature Will Save the iPhone 6
Just hours before this rumor hit the front page of Google, more indications came that perhaps 2013 would be the "Year of the Apple". According to one analyst, Apple may very well be preparing a killer feature for the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 -- that "one thing" we've all been missing so desperately.
When speaking with CNBC on Tuesday, Katy Huberty - an analyst covering enterprise systems and PC hardware for Morgan Stanley and a frequent Apple watcher, commented that though Apple may be in a slump at the moment, she predicts a comeback powered by a software feature which will blow consumers' minds is in the works. It could just be that "one thing" the company needs to regain its foot in the market. Here is what Huberty said:
"You saw the Samsung Galaxy S4 come out last week, that shows you the innovation cards are up for grabs. What is lacking in (the S4) is a killer feature. We think that's where Apple will surprise this year. This (iPhone) 5S cycle this year will be about a killer feature that drives consumers increasingly to the platform..."
The Killer Feature: iOS 6.1.3 Patches Evasi0n But Jailbreakers Look for An Extended SDK in iOS 7
So what could this killer feature be? Well there is no telling, but for iPhone 5/4S and other A5+ device owners who happen to be part of the jailbreak community, we hope that feature might be an extended SDK, or as well-known hacker and evad3rs jailbreak team-member pod2g called for in January, an "open" iOS.
Though few outside the jailbreak community may realize it, many innovations in Apple's software have been directly linked to innovations birthed within the community. After all, it was jailbreak developers such as Geohot, Saurik, Planetbeing and more who first envisioned iOS and the iPhone outside of the boundaries of what Apple deemed acceptable. Curious what kind of innovations I'm talking about? Well for starters, things like running apps in the background, copying and pasting text or altering the notifications system. Now Apple has added these features to iOS with little to no recognition of the people who dreamed up these changes.
Jailbreak developers such as Paul Griffin aka @phoenixdev know what it's like to watch Apple and its love-hate relationship with the jailbreak community. In a recent conversation, here is what he told me concerning Apple and Jailbreakers.
"When it comes to jailbreaking, you can view it as Steve Jobs' lovechild. I think it would take a court order before Apple would respect jailbreaking. And until then, we're running on handouts. Every jailbreak becomes harder to accomplish; it scares me to realize that my innovations could die simply because Apple loves its closed ecosystem"
He went on to say,
"In my personal experience, the only thing Apple has "taken" from me was a feature from Music Controls Pro, wherein I integrated 3rd party music apps with the native OS. It's a little funny; there was even a time that some major AppStore devs (one of which is in the top ten right now) were contacting *me* about how they could make their software work with Music Controls Pro. I could see the writing on the wall/in the code somewhere between 1 and 2 years before it happened, but all I could really do was innovate..."
And innovate the jailbreak community does despite the fact that more than once Apple has taken ideas born in the jailbreak community and used them to improve their devices. Not to mention the security research they profit from on the part of iOS hackers like the evad3rs.
Though we saw iOS 6.1.3 release today, patching four vital vulnerabilities necessary for the iOS 6 evasi0n jailbreak, still these developers are hopeful that brighter things may be ahead for Apple iOS device owners, jailbroken or not.
In speaking to Cyril aka @pod2g after the evasi0n jailbreak released, here was his feeling on the future of iOS 7 and Apple iPhone devices.
"Here is my current point of view ... we saw that the bar was raised in terms of difficulty between 5.0 and 6.1. But why? Because Apple focused more on security than in innovation. Really, what is new in 6.1 comparing to 5.0? Except the bad move they did with the Map app? But I can definitely say that they changed a lot of things in terms of security. Now, iOS 7 is coming, and if Apple don't innovate, it's the end. I have the feeling then that iOS 7 will drastically change the user experience..."
Taking all these things together, it looks highly likely that whatever Apple has planned -- be it a shared release date for both the iPhone 6 / 5S and the iPad 5, or some magical new feature in iOS 7, one thing is certain: Everything depends on what Apple does next.
Our hope here in the jailbreak community is that iPhone 6 and iOS 7 will feature a freer, or extended SDK -- #WeWantAnOpeniOS.
Like this article?
Follow Cammy on Twitter, Google or Facebook for latest stories and updates.
Read More iPhone and iOS 6 Jailbreak News:
iPhone 6, 5S Release Date 2013: 6 Rumored Specs and Features We've Gathered So Far [VIDEO]
iOS 6.1.3 OTA Update Released: Is Evasi0n Jailbreak Dead? How To Save SHSH Blobs Using Redsn0w Or Tiny Umbrella [TUTORIAL]
iOS 6.1.3 Update Could Patch Jailbreak. Will Restore or Downgrade Be An Option? @Planetbeing Explains
Jailbreak iOS 6 News: Absinthe Creator To Resume Work On Untethered Jailbreak While Sending A Message To Apple
