With so much hype and rumor hawking, and not counting the endless speculation and renders over the past few weeks, it's almost like we know what the next iPhone is going to be like. But just like rumors, and speculations, they're just that. Here's a quick look at what we know so far.

In terms of appearance:

We've got a good idea how it will NOT look like: the iPhone 4S. Why? We've been seeing leaked parts for months now, and up till recently there's been a video of fully assembled phones. Could it be bigger? Some signs point to yes.

The phone will reportedly be a unibody design, with a two-tone back, and come in both black and white.


Screen

The display is probably going to be four inches with a 16:9 ratio to it. We've heard this over and over again, and iMore's report also suggests that the configuration Apple's moving towards.

The new iPhone is probably going to use Sharp's IGZO display technology. IGZO screens are much thinner, and they use smaller transistors. With fewer LEDs, it takes up less space, consumes less power, giving credence to believe that the newly gained real estate can be fitted with either a more powerful processor or better longer lasting battery.

iOS 6

The next iPhone will run on iOS 6, which was what Apple showcased at the previous WWDC in June. It will feature Apple using its own mapping system, along with some other new features such as the Passbook. If reports are to be believed, then the iPad Mini will also be coming out at the same time during the iPhone launch.


Peripherals

We've already mentioned that its probably safe to say that you should hold off on buying any iPhone peripherals for now. At least, in the next six weeks that is. All signs are pointing to the new iPhone having a smaller dock connector.

If you're upset about the news of a smaller dock connector, there will apparently be some kind of converter that might even be compatible with micro USB.

There's also word coming from iLounge today that the new dock connector will be an insanely small 8 pins, but that seems unlikely because each pin has a separate function, and 8 would limit the functionality of the connector.

Network

Will the new iPhone have 4G LTE? We hope so. It's got to keep up with new models using Android and even Windos Phone.

Battery life is also a factor. The IGZO screen's low power consumption, as well as the extra space in the body afforded by the longer, thinner screen, would allow for the iPhone to have a big, long-lasting battery.

But will they be including LTE? And since it's super speeds would drain the iPhone's battery too quickly, it might just give it a skip. Could they? Would they? Rumors aren't exactly clear on this one.

NFC

NFC seems like a long shot for some reason. It could be because no one's really drooling over NFC at the moment, at least not like they are for LTE speeds. Apple's Passbook in iOS 6 seems like a natural fit for NFC, so why wouldn't they want it in?

But if demand isn't there, there's not much reason to include it, just yet.

Release Date

The best idea we have is that report from iMore that the iPhone will be announced alongside a new iPad Mini on September 12th, and released on the 21st.

Name

We're pretty certain it's not going to be called iPhone 5, and it could probably just follow its new iPad naming strategy by calling it the iPhone. What do you think?