IPhone 5 Release Date 2012: Why The New Smartphone's Hardware Will Be Different From The IPad [SPECS]

Some Apple gadget users may draw comparisons between the iPhone the iPad, referring to the smartphone as a mini version of the tablet. However, there is a key hardware feature that is rumored to set the upcoming iPhone apart from its larger counterpart.

MacWorld reported that analysts have said the next iPhone may not use the A5X processor chip, which is found in the most up-to-date iPad. The chip was also used in the first two generations of the tablet, but the graphically-adept hardware may not be a priority to smartphone users.

I think that this new chip is probably just for the iPad, Linley Gwennap, founder and principal analyst of The Linley Group, said to MacWorld. It looks like they planned ahead for this.

The chip was designed to boost display features, and the company may opt for improving battery life over aesthetic quality in its next release. The A5X could be better suited for devices with larger screens than the iPhone, including the new version of the Apple TV and smaller editions of the iPad.

Installing the A5X chip in the iPhone is also deemed unnecessary, since the device doesn't require has much power from its processor to produce graphics as the tablet. Currently, the latest iPhone has a display density of 326 pixels per inch crammed into a 3.7-inch display.

There's no technical reason to make the iPhone display better, principal analyst at Mercury Research Dean McCarron told MacWorld.

In the past, some of the biggest complaints surrounding Apple's smartphone came from battery life issues.

A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices, Apple officially commented to Wired.com in November. We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks.

Although the device will be operating on an updated software system, Apple may consider being more modest with its processor to avoid any more criticism from users.