Apple iPhone 6 Rumors: Next-Gen iPhone Could Feature Pressure, Temperature And Humidity Sensors

Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) 2014 iPhone iteration, presumably called the “iPhone 6,” is likely to feature different sensors for pressure, temperature and humidity, according to an analyst based in China.

After Samsung (KRX:005935) released its Galaxy S4 with a barometer, and temperature and humidity sensors, many technology observers expected the iPhone 5s to feature similar sensors. But, Apple did not consider incorporating them into its flagship smartphone, and released the device with the usual set of features, such as an accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass.

However, Sun Chang Xu, a Chinese analyst, said on her Weibo account that Apple could catch up in the “sensors department” with the release of the iPhone 6. The analyst cited sources close to the matter to report that the upcoming iPhone model could feature pressure, temperature and humidity sensors, G4Games reported, clarifying that the “pressure” in this context is atmospheric, not blood pressure.

According to MacRumors, the same analyst previously reported that Apple could use “optical sensors” to measure heart rate and oxygen levels in the company’s rumored smart watch, dubbed the iWatch.

Rumors are rife that Apple has been hiring professionals in the area of health sensors, while recent reports also said that iOS 8 could include a Healthbook application that could require many health-related sensors. Therefore, inclusion of more sensors to the iPhone 6 seems to be a “natural progression,” MacRumors reported.

In addition to all these features, the iPhone 6 is expected to come with a bigger screen, boasting a density of 389 pixels per inch. The device is also rumored to be powered by a new A8 processor, which should be clocking at 2.6GHz.

Rumors also have it that the iPhone 6 could be only 0.22 inches thick, compared to the 0.30-inch thickness of the existing iPhone 5s.

The handset could also feature a sapphire crystal display cover, with GT Advance Technologies (NASDAQ:GTAT) expected to supply 9 percent to 16.6 percent of the iPhone sapphire screen covers in 2014.