After following a tip from one of their industry insiders, 9toMac has confirmed that iOS 6 adjusts to five rows (instead of four) on devices equipped with displays which are exactly 640x1136. Developers had to modify the Apple's iOS simulator in order to work with this resolution. Interestingly, more spacious screen resolutions caused iOS 6 to default to an iPad-like layout while lower resolutions failed to scale screen elements properly. Simulations performed with iOS 5.1 failed to create 5 rows entirely.
This behavior by the simulator suggests Apple may be planning to release an iOS device which runs at 640x1136 – a resolution which is nearly perfect for a 4-inch ,16:9 display. This also adds weight to those 4-inch screen and standard wide-screen aspect ratio rumors which have been burning our ears for a few months.
Also discovered in the iOS 6 beta is a curious reference to a possible 9-pin connector. The code, also found by 9to5Mac, reads, "0002d9c t_copyDeviceSupports9Pin" and purportedly has been in iOS 6 since its first beta.
This discovery is particularly interesting because there have also been rumors of a smaller connector which is expected to debut with next-gen iOS devices. Earlier reports suggested there would be 19 pins instead of 9, but accuracy is not often a dependable property of rumors.
One possible explanation? Engineers at Apple may have indeed been testing a 9-pin cable, but the idea was canned and developers left 9-pin connector references in the code. This is just one reason why such a find isn't necessarily concrete, but it is fascinating nonetheless. Admittedly however, with the physical dimensions of most devices atrophying away, time seems ripe for Apple to rethink its overly-complicated, aging 30-pin connector.
And since we're discussing rumors, sources from iMore who have "proven accurate in the past" claim the iPhone will arrive nine days after Apple's official announcement. The event is expected to be held on September 21.