iPhone 6 Coming Features: 9 Things To Expect From Apple's Latest Smartphone

With just a little over a week until Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) Sept. 9 launch event, the iPhone 6 rumor season is coming to a close. The Cupertino, California tech giant hasn't released any official details about the iPhone 6, but a flurry of recent part leaks and rumors have given fans a better idea of what's in store for the next-generation iPhone.

We’ve compiled all those details together so you know exactly what to expect when Apple announces the highly-anticipated iPhone 6. Here are the key features to watch for:

Two Sizes:

A larger iPhone is one of the most wanted features by Apple fans. Several part leak photos and reports have all but confirmed that the company plans to unveil two new iPhone models, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6L. The iWatch is expected to be unveiled alongside the devices. However, a Re/Code report indicates that it may not ship until early 2015.

Storage:

Storage sizes options are expected to go as high as 128GB in the upcoming iPhone 6. Earlier reports indicated that Apple could make 32GB the new baseline storage option for the smartphone. But a new set of iPhone 6 logic board photos released by luxury iPhone vendor Feld and Volk suggest that Apple may continue to offer the iPhone 6 with 16GB storage.

Processor:

The iPhone 6’s is expected to sport Apple’s A8 processor, which will reportedly run at 2GHz. While details about the processor have been fairly sparse, Daring Fireball’s John Gruber suggests that the iPhone 6 may have a new secure enclave where credit card data could be stored. The secure enclave technology is currently used to safely store fingerprints within the A7 processor of the iPhone 5S.

Rumors also pointed to 2GB of RAM in the A8, but photos of a leaked iPhone 6 logic board show that it may contain 1GB of RAM instead.

Mobile Payments:

Among the most prominent features expected on the iPhone 6 is the addition of near-field communication or NFC, which enables mobile payments and wireless data communication with just a tap. Apple is expected to roll out NFC on the iPhone 6 along with its own payment system that will rival Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) wallet and other payment apps.

Sapphire Screen:

No feature is more desired on the iPhone 6 than a sapphire screen. Rumors have bounced back and forth over the past months as to whether or not both iPhone models will have the scratch resistant material. But according to the latest research note by PTT Research analyst and GT Advanced Technologies (NASDAQ:GTAT) investor Mark Margolis, all iPhone 6L models may sport sapphire, while the material may be reserved for the high-end models of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

Camera

The iPhone 6 camera is expected to receive a modest upgrade featuring a 13MP Sony Exmor IMX220 image sensor. Reports in the first half of the year indicated that the camera may also feature an optical image stabilization feature to reduce the occurrence of blurry photos. But a research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo doesn’t expect the feature to be included in the 4.7-inch iPhone 6.

Operating System

The iPhone 6 will have iOS 8 installed, which contains a number of improvements for Apple's mobile OS, including support for health and fitness apps through its HealthKit platform, quick reply notifications and continuity features which integrate iOS 8 with Apple's OS X desktop operating system.

Price

Prices are currently unconfirmed. However, analysts have speculated that iPhone 6 models will start around $199-299 under a two-year contract and $700 off-contract and unlocked.

Release Date

While Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 during its media event on Sept. 9, the company is expected to officially sell the highly anticipated smartphone ten days later on Sept. 19.