Smaller. Sexier. More games? Video confering? Cheaper???Rumor has it that Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, will unveil the next version of the company's much-lauded iPhone today. Mr Jobs has previously indicated that Apple plans to sell a 3G phone; AT&T, Apple's US partner for the iPhone, has announced that it will complete the roll-out of its 3G network this month.
But while almost everyone agrees that the new iPhone will use 3G technology to improve internet download speeds, conjecture about other possible features is still building towards its zenith.
One of the most consistently cited is GPS capability, which will mean that the phone will be able to locate itself via satellite and offer a range of so-called 'location-based services', such as the ability to find nearby restaurants and businesses.
There is also mention of a video-conferencing feature that would allow a people to beam images of themselves to their correspondents via a camera mounted on the screen side of the device.
Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg, another tech site, has predicted that the device will be capable of video chat, while Ryan Block, the editor of Engadget, has claimed categorically that the new iPhone has "no front-facing, videoconferencing camera".
Rumors of a much cheaper device - in the US, some observers have suggested that the price will drop from $399 to $199 - have in turn sparked speculation that Apple may be preparing to launch two versions - an "iPhone-lite", with fewer features, alongside a more sophisticated model.
According to industry sources, however, the cheaper price will not stem from a pared-down device, but rather a decision by Apple to change its business model. Apple is also expected to reduce the time lag between when the new iPhone goes on sale in the US and when it ships elsewhere.