The next big Apple release is just days away. As usual, that means the tech rumor mill has been churning out a new round of theories, speculations and wild guesses about the devices and innovations the company will bring us this time.
Every day, new leaked images and patent applications pop up suggesting larger iPhones, stronger screens, iWatch designs and a slew of what will probably turn out to be a totally impractical wishlist of features and products.
This year's release seems especially critical for the company.
Now three years after Steve Jobs' death, Apple's regard as the leading innovator in the computer and smartphone world has been steadily slipping away.
The company that brought the world its first practical tablets, smartphones and MP3 players has brought nothing substantially new to the industry since 2010. During that time, its competitors have caught up with its technologies and have already beaten it to the market in the exploding wearable tech field.
To many in the industry, Apple's Sept. 9 release will be a chance to redeem itself.
How it does that exactly, is the subject of rumor and guesses.
To help make sense of all that speculation, and to put them into context, FinancesOnline.com has put together a massive infographic highlighting the features that users most want to see in the new iPhone 6 (if it's even called that).
The team also went back through the history of the iPhone to dissect every iteration of the device to date and every new innovation they offered.
From that perspective, the theory that Apple has lost its edge starts to crumble. Every new iteration of the phone comes crammed with new technologies, features and applications that are each far ahead of the game. Apple may not have brought any new devices to market recently, but every new phone is a world of innovation all of its own.
We can expect this year's version to be the same.
Check out FinanceOnline's full infographic.
