MacRumors

Repair experts at uBreakiFix have examined the impact resistance, scratch resistance and strength of sapphire glass in a series of tests that were published today. The tests were designed to determine whether sapphire is suitable for use as a smartphone display.

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The repair technicians conducted three different tests -- a scratch resistance comparison using a tungsten carbide drill bit, a drop test with the sapphire display of the newly released Kyocera Brigadier, and a a four-point bend test to compare the failure stress and strain of sapphire glass with that of Gorilla Glass.


The results of uBreakiFix's tests show that sapphire is significantly more scratch resistant and 25 percent stronger than Gorilla Glass, but it is much more susceptible to impacts due to its brittleness. The glass is so brittle that it shattered the first time it was dropped face down from a height of only three feet.


The technicians conclude that sapphire does not necessarily offer any advantage over Gorilla Glass, as the material's superior scratch resistance and strength is offset by its low impact resistance. Phone manufacturers that include a sapphire display may choose to employ other protective measures such as a raised bezel to help protect the phone during impact with other surfaces.

Apple is partnering with GT Advanced Technologies to produce sapphire for use in future products. The exact details on how Apple will use the material is not known, but the company is rumored to be using sapphire as a display cover in future iPhone models and possibly its iWatch wearable product.

Related Forum: iPhone

New high-quality photos said to be of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6's rear shell have been shared by Nowhereelse.fr (Google Translate), showing us what may be a finished back from the device. Notably, this newest component appears to have its rear bands colored in to fit with the rest of the device, perhaps suggesting that the different color options of the iPhone 6 will feature a similar treatment.

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Besides its colored bands, the rear shell shown in the photos appears to be consistent with previous looks at the component, displaying a rounded chassis, embedded rear logo, and more. The shell also appears to adopt redesigned speaker holes and a rounded True Tone LED flash, which join the typical Lightning port, headphone jack, and rear camera.

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Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 at an event on September 9, where it will also likely unveil its wearable device for the first time. The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will likely launch a week or so after the event, while the bigger 5.5-inch version of the device may be held back due to production issues. In addition to a larger screen, the iPhone 6 is expected to feature a faster A8 processor, a revamped camera system, iOS 8, and near field communication (NFC) technology for mobile payments.

Related Forum: iPhone

Samsung has debuted a new video on its YouTube channel comparing its new Galaxy Tab S to the iPad Air on the streets of New York City. As first spotted by iGeneration (Google Translate), the video involves a host asking street-goers to use the Galaxy Tab S, highlighting the tablet's display, weight, and camera.


When matched up side-by-side, some users claim that the Galaxy Tab S is "definitely thinner", while others express that the tablet's screen "looks brighter" when compared to the iPad Air. The host claims that the Galaxy Tab S has "one million more pixels than the iPad Air", which is presented alongside small text on the bottom noting the 4,096,000 pixels of the Galaxy Tab S compared to the iPad's 3,145,728 pixels. The video ends with a group of users choosing the Galaxy Tab S over the iPad Air, as Samsung ends the video with the tagline of "Thinner. Brighter. Lighter." before showing the tablet from its front.

Samsung launched its first round of Galaxy Tab S ads last month, which mocked the iPad's screen and lack of multitasking. The Galaxy Tab S was originally announced this past June, with Samsung touting the tablet's high resolution (2560 x 1600) Super AMOLED display, fingerprint sensor, 11-hour battery life, and multitasking capabilities.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tag: Samsung
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

NXP_fc Apple will feature near field communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 6 with a chip provided by Dutch company NXP Semiconductors, according to a report from the Financial Times. The chip will allow the iPhone to be scanned by payment terminals and ticket systems, while also allowing for further integration with other methods.

Throughout the past week, a number of rumors and reports from various sources have claimed that the iPhone 6 will gain NFC support. Evidence of NFC capabilities provided by NXP first surfaced earlier this week in a claimed schematic, which showed the company's PN65 chip on the iPhone 6's logic board.

Yesterday, technology news website WIRED and Apple blogger John Gruber also suggested that the iPhone 6 would feature NFC, with the latter stating that Apple's NFC-based mobile payment system would use a new secure enclave coprocessor built into the company's new A8 chip, which was also suggested by previous reports.

Last month, it was reported that Apple was in talks with major credit card companies like Visa over a mobile payment solution that would utilize the credit card data already stored in millions of iTunes accounts. Apple also was said to be interviewing senior payments industry executives to take on roles within the company, possibly indicating that the company has been hard at work on creating its own mobile payments service.

Apple is expected to debut the iPhone 6 and a wearable device at an event on September 9.

Related Forum: iPhone

chrome.jpgGoogle today announced the launch of the first beta build of 64-bit Chrome for Mac, following the public release of 64-bit Chrome for Windows.

Earlier this month, Google added 64-bit support to Chrome Canary for OS X, the experimental build of its Chrome web browser, but with this new beta version, testers on the Beta channel will have access to 64-bit Chrome support.

According to Google, 64-bit support for Chrome will bring several speed and security improvements to the browser, in addition to decreasing the amount of memory it uses.

64-bit Chrome has become faster as a result of having access to a superior instruction set, more registers, and a more efficient function calling convention. Improved opportunities for ASLR enhance this version's security. Another major benefit of this change comes from the fact that most programs on a modern Mac are already 64-bit apps. In cases where Chrome was the last remaining 32-bit app, there were launch-time and memory-footprint penalties as 32-bit copies of all of the system libraries needed to be loaded to support Chrome. Now that Chrome's a 64-bit app too, we expect you'll find that it launches more quickly and that overall system memory use decreases.

64-bit support for the Windows Chrome beta was implemented in July with a stable release coming a a month afterwards, so a stable Mac release could possibly follow a similar timeline, coming in September.

applestore.pngFollowing a report from Wired suggesting NFC-based mobile payments will be a "hallmark" feature of the iPhone 6 and a confirmation from Re/code, Apple blogger John Gruber has now thrown in his two cents, with a cryptic post hinting Apple is indeed planning on including NFC in the iPhone 6 as part of a new mobile payment solution.

Gruber's post references an earlier "joke" that pointed towards a wearable device debut in September, which turned out to be accurate in light of recent rumors also suggesting a September introduction for the device.

I've been working on a new joke -- about NFC and a new secure enclave where you can store your credit cards, so you can pay for things at brick and mortar retail stores just by taking out your iPhone, but only if it's one of the new iPhones -- but no one seems to get my sense of humor.

Gruber suggests Apple's NFC-based mobile payment solution will take advantage of a new secure enclave coprocessor built into the company's new A8 chip, which is in line with previous reports. The secure enclave would likely store credit card details, allowing users to pay for physical goods with their iPhones and it would presumably work in conjunction with Touch ID.

Though rumors of NFC support in the iPhone have occurred for every new iPhone release over the past several years, NFC rumors have been especially prevalent ahead of the iPhone 6 launch. Back in April, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested the iPhone 6 would include an NFC chip, as did a follow up report from BrightWire.

At the same time, multiple reports have suggested Apple is gearing up to launch a mobile payment solution designed to leverage credit card data stored in millions of iTunes accounts. Apple is said to be partnering up with major credit card companies like Visa, and the company has also been interviewing senior payments industry executives to take on new roles within the company.

While Apple has previously viewed NFC as "not the solution to any current problem," it may be changing its opinion on the subject in light of its new mobile payment initiative. The company is expected to debut the iPhone 6, and possibly its new payment solution, at an upcoming event on September 9.

Update 8/29 10:20 AM PT: John Gruber has updated his original post, also hinting that Apple's upcoming wearable device will include support for NFC. "Follow-up joke: It would be cool, and would make a lot of sense, if the new wearable thing had the same magic payment apparatus."

Related Forum: iPhone

iwatch_concept_setYesterday, Re/code broke the news that Apple planned to introduce its upcoming wearable device alongside the iPhone 6, and now Bloomberg is seconding that rumor, pointing towards a simultaneous debut of two different iPhones and a wearable device at Apple's September 9 event.

According to Re/code, Apple had originally planned to introduce its wearable device at an October event separate from its September iPhone event, but later ended up changing its plans. Bloomberg speculates that Apple's plan to debut the wearable device alongside the iPhone may be the company's way of limiting expectations for the device, positioning it more as an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone device.

Apple will give the new wearable a boost by pairing its debut with its flagship product, the iPhone. The company also may be trying to manage expectations for the new device, signaling that it's more of an accessory instead of a category that stands by itself. By contrast, when the iPad was introduced in 2010, Apple held a special event just for that product.

Apple does appear to be planning a major affair for the debut of the wearable device and the two iPhones, however, holding the event at the Flint Center at De Anza College where it introduced the original Macintosh thirty years ago and the first iMac in 1998. The company is building a massive structure on the site, the purpose of which remains unclear.

Both Apple CEO Tim Cook and iTunes chief Eddy Cue have also heavily hyped Apple's upcoming product lineup, with Cue saying it's the "best product pipeline" in 25 years and Cook promising "really great stuff" in new product categories.

It is likely Apple is planning to unveil its wearable device, which has commonly been called the iWatch in rumors, several months before it becomes available to consumers. A distinct lack of product leaks and tangible rumors have suggested the device is not yet in production, and an introduction before a deluge of part leaks allows Apple to debut the device while it's still largely a surprise.

Though we've not seen images of Apple's wearable device, rumors have suggested it will have a heavy focus on health and fitness with an array of health-related sensors that measure metrics like steps taken, sleep quality, heart rate, and more. It's said to come in multiple sizes and at multiple price points, and it is also said to be heavily integrated with the iPhone and iOS 8 features like the Health app.

(Image: 2.5-inch iWatch concept by SET Solutions)

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Apple today issued invitations for its upcoming iPhone 6 event on September 9, which is also said to include its much-anticipated wearable device. According to the invitations, Apple is planning to host the event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts at De Anza College in Cupertino, the same location where Steve Jobs introduced the original Mac 30 years ago.

For the occasion, it appears that Apple has been building a massive structure on the campus, which has been kept under tight wraps with a white barricade. A MacRumors reader has sent in images of a mysterious structure at the Flint Center, which appears to span three stories and is protected by "scads" of security people. Administrators had previously declined to comment on what the structure is for, stating only "We are not at liberty to discuss that due to client wishes."

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Image of mysterious structure taken on August 20

Apple has not held an event at the Flint Center in many years, so the company's return to the site of the original Mac unveiling suggests its upcoming announcement will be a major one. The Flint Center has a much higher seating capacity than other venues where Apple has unveiled products in the past, including the Yerba Buena Center and its own Cupertino campus.

Earlier this year, Apple iTunes chief Eddy Cue said that Apple's got the "best product pipeline" he'd seen in his 25 years at the company in the works, and Tim Cook promised "really great stuff" in new product categories.

Despite the cryptic "Wish we could say more" message on the media invitations, rumors have suggested Apple is planning to unveil both the iPhone 6 and a new wearable device at the September 9 event.

It is unknown whether Apple has plans to broadcast the event on the web and Apple TV as it has done for recent events, but MacRumors will provide live coverage both on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

As noted by The Loop, Apple today issued media invitations to the previously rumored September 9 event where the company is expected to show off not only the iPhone 6 but also its first wearable device, popularly referred to as the iWatch. The invitations carry the tagline "Wish we could say more."

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The event will take place at 10:00 AM Pacific Time at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of De Anza College in Cupertino.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

nxp_pn65_nfcApple's next iPhone may indeed include a mobile payment platform, claims WIRED in a report released Thursday. Wired's sources didn't not reveal how the system would work, but the publication was told that near field communications (NFC) technology will be part of the system.

The company’s next iPhone will feature its own payment platform, sources familiar with the matter told WIRED. In fact, that platform will be one of the hallmark features of the device when it’s unveiled on September 9. We’re told the solution will involve NFC.

Rumors of NFC support in the iPhone have been an annual occurrence over the past several years, but things may finally be coming together for Apple with NFC and its rumored mobile payments initiative. Additional evidence for NFC was spotted in schematics leaked by GeekBar, which suggest Apple may be using a version of the PN65 NFC package from NXP, which measures 5 mm x 5 mm and has 32 terminals for connectivity. A comparison of this component with alleged iPhone 6 logic boards published recently by Nowherelse.fr reveal an unused spot on the board that could accommodate this NFC chip.

A growing body of evidence suggests Apple is working on a mobile payments solution with NFC as an important component. NFC has been mentioned along with Bluetooth LE in patent applications that describe possible mobile payment solutions. Analysts from Morgan Stanley and Brightwire, as well as high-profile KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo all believe Apple will be adopting NFC as a core technology for the iPhone 6.

Apple is rumored to be working on an upcoming mobile payment solution that leverages the credit card data stored in millions of iTunes accounts. Apple is said to be working with credit card companies such as Visa about a possible partnership that would allow it to bypass third-party payment processors. Apple CEO Tim Cook also alluded to mobile payments earlier this year, noting that mobile payments were "one of the thoughts" behind Touch ID.

Update 10:17 AM: Re/code's John Paczkowski says he has "been hearing the same" about the iPhone 6 coming equipped with NFC technology needed for a mobile payments solution.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Wired

New photos of various components said to be from the iPhone 6 have been shared by Nowhereelse.fr (Google Translate), giving us a glimpse at both internal and external parts to be used in the device.

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The first set of images show SIM card trays and home buttons in a range of three different colors, which may indicate that the iPhone 6 will keep the same space grey, gold, and silver options from the iPhone 5s. This is in line with a previous leaks, including one from last month which also showed SIM trays in three different colors. The SIM trays shown in the photos also appear to be slightly curved, and was likely designed with the iPhone 6's thinner, rounded chassis in mind.

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Another set of photos shows the embedded Apple logo, which has also surfaced in other leaks. However, Nowhereelse indicates that the logo scratches under regular pressure with a knife, and contrasts prior speculation that the logo was made of scratch-resistant metal. Apple has not used an embedded Apple logo on its mobile devices since the original iPhone back in 2007.

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Finally, the last set of photos show the internal speaker and vibrator motor of the iPhone 6. Both components appear to be different than their predecessors found in the iPhone 5s, as the internal speaker appears to be larger while the vibrator motor now sports a rectangular design.

According to Re/code, Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 on Tuesday, September 9. It is likely that the 4.7-inch version of the device will go on sale about a week later, while the 5.5-inch version may be released at a later time due to production delays. A report yesterday from Re/code also stated that Apple will unveil a wearable device at the event.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple has been granted a patent for the design of its iconic glass cube Fifth Avenue retail store, reports Patently Apple.

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The decision comes four years after Apple applied for a trademark related to the store's design, which is still currently pending. The panted granted today was originally filed on October 15, 2012 and credits eight inventors including former Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Apple's Fifth Avenue store opened on May 19, 2006 and was designed by architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Due to a structural overhaul that took place in 2011, the location currently uses 15 panes of glass as opposed to 90 used in the original cube. The renovations on the newer cube also did away with nearly all of the hardware that previously held the original panes together, resulting in a "seamless" design.

Tag: Patent

Following hints of a release earlier this summer, the iOS version of 2K Games' original first person shooter BioShock is now available in the App Store. Rumored since 2008, BioShock on iOS is a port of the full, original game first released in 2007.

Set in 1960, BioShock asks players to take on the role of Jack, a plane crash survivor who finds his way into the defunct underwater city of Rapture. Jack has to fight his way out of the city, battling Big Daddies and other enemies while using an array of heavy weaponry and taking advantage of genetics-altering plasmids that grant him super powers. Over the course of the game, players also discover the rich history behind the creation of Rapture and its eventual fall.

One of the greatest first person shooters of all time, BioShock comes to iOS!

BioShock is the "genetically enhanced" first person shooter where you can turn everything into a weapon: the environment, your body, fire and water, and even your worst enemies.

You are a cast-away in Rapture, an underwater Utopia torn apart by civil war. Caught between powerful forces, and hunted down by genetically modified "splicers" and deadly security systems, you have to come to grips with a deadly, mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters. No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way.

Earlier this month, our sister site TouchArcade went hands on with BioShock for iOS, and found that it runs "like a dream on iOS hardware" but had somewhat poor virtual controls as is common with first person shooters on a touchscreen. It does, however, work very well with a Bluetooth controller, which makes it "just like playing on a console." The game's graphics were slightly toned down to make it run on iOS, removing the fog and dynamic shadows, but TouchArcade says "you'd be hard-pressed to tell."


BioShock is limited to newer iOS devices, including the iPad Air, Retina iPad mini, fourth-generation iPad, and the iPhone 5/5c/5s.

BioShock can be downloaded from the App Store for $14.99. [Direct Link]

Apple has again been denied a permanent injunction on Samsung products that infringe on its smartphone patents, reports Bloomberg. Judge Lucy Koh today rejected Apple's plea for a sales ban on nine different Samsung devices involved in the second Apple vs. Samsung patent infringement trial.

According to Koh, Apple did not demonstrate irreparable harm in the form of lost sales, despite efforts to target specific infringing features on the Samsung devices.

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"Apple has not satisfied its burden of demonstrating irreparable harm and linking that harm to Samsung's exploitation of any of Apple's three infringed patents," the judge wrote. "Apple has not established that it suffered significant harm in the form of either lost sales or reputational injury."

Earlier this year, a jury ruled that Samsung had willfully infringed on three Apple patents, ordering the company to pay $119.6 million in damages. Devices involved in the lawsuit included the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, and Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The $119.6 million that Samsung owes from the second trial is in addition to the damages awarded to Apple in the original Apple vs. Samsung trial, which added up to approximately $890 million after a recalculation.

Apple and Samsung agreed to end their non-U.S. patent disputes in early August, but their battle in the United States is ongoing despite efforts to find "common ground."

The sequel to NimbleBit's popular free-to-play tower building game Tiny Tower is now available for download worldwide after soft launching in several countries earlier this summer. Tiny Tower Vegas incorporates the same tower building gameplay found in the original game, melding it with several Las Vegas-themed mini games like poker and slot machines.


As in the previous game, the idea is for players to continually build up and manage a tower filled with various businesses that generate coins. Like many free-to-play titles, Tiny Tower Vegas includes various countdown timers for functions like restocking floors, which can be sped up with the use of real life currency.

Tiny Tower Vegas can, however, be played without investing any real money. There are three types of currency in the game: coins, bux, and poker chips. Coins are earned from the tower's occupants, while bux are won from the included gambling mini games, which are played using poker chips. While poker chips can be purchased in app, there are also continual mini events in the game that reward players with the currency.

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The game includes several tower customization options and features that were available in the original Tiny Tower, including a BitBook with funny status updates, elevator upgrades, and multiplayer options that allow users to visit friends' towers and team up with other users in the Players Club.

Tiny Tower is back, and this time we're going to Vegas, baby!

- Build and manage your own hotel & casino filled with shopping, dining & entertainment floors!
- Amass a fortune of bux by betting chips in a multitude of casino games!
- Earn chips when your friends visit and play the games in your tower!
- Customize your tower with impressively themed roofs, elevators and lobbies!
- Keep tabs on the thoughts of employees and guests by reading the "BitBook" virtual social network!

Tiny Tower Vegas is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Apple today seeded Mavericks 10.9.5 build 13F24 to developers, just over a week after seeding the fourth OS X 10.9.5 beta, build 13F18, and more than a month after releasing OS X 10.9.4 to the public.

The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Mac Developer Center.

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It is unclear what improvements the 10.9.5 update will bring to Mavericks, but it is likely to include bug fixes and stability enhancements. Apple is asking developers to focus on USB, USB Smart Cards, Graphics, Safari, Thunderbolt, and Gatekeeper.

Along with working on improvements to Mavericks, Apple is also beta testing OS X Yosemite, which is due to be released in the fall. The last Mavericks update, 10.9.4, added several Wi-Fi fixes and improved wake from sleep reliability.

Apple has plans to unveil its upcoming wearable device in September, alongside the iPhone 6, reports Re/code. The site previously suggested Apple had planned to debut the device at an October event, but now says that Apple's plans have changed.

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iWatch concept by Todd Hamilton, based on the Nike Fuelband

Remember back in June when I said Apple hoped to schedule a special event in October to show off a new wearable device? Remember how I also said this: "Could things change between now and fall? That's certainly possible." Turns out that was a prescient hedge, because things have changed. Apple now plans to unveil a new wearable alongside the two next-generation iPhones we told you the company will debut on September 9th.

According to Re/code, the device will "make good use" of both HealthKit and HomeKit, two sets of APIs that were introduced during WWDC. HealthKit, which ties into Apple's iOS 8 Health app, focuses on health and fitness, while HomeKit is a home automation platform designed to allow users to control a variety connected devices.

Though Apple has plans to introduce a wearable device in September, there is no word on when the device might ship. Given a lack of part leaks and rumors pointing towards a late 2014 or early 2015 launch, it is likely the device will be shown several months before it will be available to consumers.

Apple's upcoming wearable device has been frequently referred to as the iWatch by both MacRumors and other rumor sites, but it remains unclear what Apple will call the device at launch. It is expected to be a wrist worn device, however, and rumors have suggested that it will come in multiple sizes with several different designs available at multiple price points.

It is also expected to incorporate an array of different health and fitness sensors to measure various health-related metrics like steps taken, sleep quality, heart rate, and more.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Last week, Chinese repair firm GeekBar shared a claimed schematic for the iPhone 6 showing what was claimed to be the pinning diagram for the device's rumored near field communications (NFC) chip. The part addressed on the schematic, PN65V, was thought to be a version of NXP's PN65 NFC package currently used in several Android devices.

The leak is one of several schematics shared by GeekBar over the past week and a half, and while some of the components have been misidentified, it is looking increasingly likely that the schematics themselves are legitimate. Seen in that light, it is worth taking a look back at the NFC claim to see if there is additional evidence for it.

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Closeup of 4.7-inch iPhone 6 logic board with likely NFC chip location boxed in red, LTE modem boxed in green

MacRumors forum member chrmjenkins has pointed us toward a document showing the package used by NXP for its PN65, noting that it measures 5 mm x 5 mm with 32 terminals for connectivity. In examining the bare logic boards from the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models, chrmjenkins believes he has spotted where that chip will be located.

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Broader view showing likely NFC chip location boxed in red: 4.7-inch iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, 5.5-inch iPhone 6 (left to right)

The location on the board is a square patch that does not correspond to any component from the iPhone 5s logic board, indicating that it may indeed be for a new component such as an NFC chip. Existing components may of course see changes in shape between generations, but many of the current major components can be mapped reasonably well to locations on the iPhone 6 logic boards, leaving relatively few candidates for this new square patch.

Rumors of NFC for the iPhone have circulated for years, but they have yet to come to fruition. As a result, this year's crop of NFC rumors has understandably been greeted with skepticism, although the volume and specificity of the rumors has seemed greater this time around, with multiple sources pointing toward an NXP chip solution for the iPhone. And with Apple rumored to be making a push into mobile payments as soon as later this year, the time may finally be right for Apple to bring NFC to the iPhone.

Related Forum: iPhone