Flickr/William Hook
If you've been hoping that Apple will finally upgrade the base storage of the iPhone from a measly 16GB this year, prepare to be disappointed.
After leaked packaging revealed that there will indeed be a 16GB iPhone 6s, 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman has confirmed that Apple is sticking with 16GB for the cheapest model of its forthcoming phone.
Gurman's sources, who have consistently provided him with reliable information on Apple's upcoming products for years, say the new iPhones will come in 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage options, just like the current generation of iPhones.
It's a baffling decision on Apple's part given that the rest of the smartphone industry has abandoned 16GB for base model phones. On top of that, the iPhone 6s is also expected to have an upgraded camera that shoots ultra hi-res 4K video, which will mean that more storage will be needed than ever before.
Apple's argument is that iPhone owners are starting to store more and more data in the cloud. iCloud Photo Library, for instance, automatically stores older photos and videos online and keeps low-res versions on the iPhone's Camera Roll until you decide to view them.
There is a sliver lining for potential iPhone 6s buyers who can't afford the extra $100 for an upgrade to 64GB. In iOS 9, the new version of the mobile operating system that will come with the 6s, Apple has invented a technology it calls "app thinning," which would allow apps and games to load from the cloud in bit-sized chunks as they are needed.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus next week.