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World :: Apple Expected To Make iPhone 5 Come Alive

In what must be one of the worst-kept secrets in technology, Apple is widely expected to unveil its new iPhone at a "special event" in San Francisco later.

Imaginatively called the "iPhone 5", if the blogs are to be believed, the new model is rumoured to be slightly taller, with a slightly larger screen, a more powerful processor and a metallic back.

The dock connector is also likely to be smaller, with the headphone socket relocated to the base of the phone.

The new handset may also feature an Near Field Communication (NFC) chip for contactless payment, and some form of 4G capability.

"It's almost here," was all the official invite said, above the date, Sept 12, with the shadow of a figure "5" underneath.  

The venue is the same Californian theatre that was used for the latest iPad launch in March and the reception is likely to be similar.

Ever since Steve Jobs held the first iPod aloft in his trademark jeans and black top, there has been a certain style to Apple product launches (and indeed other tech companies since).

The executive - in this case chief executive Tim Cook - will inevitably be in an open-necked shirt, likely pacing the stage, to an almost evangelical fervour from the crowd.

According to the latest quarter's figures from IDC, Samsung now has 32.6% of the global smartphone market to Apple's 16.9%, down from 24.2% for Apple in the previous quarter (Samsung's previous quarter share was 29.1%).

The two tech companies are still slugging it out in various courtrooms around the world in their ongoing patent wars.

But tonight we'll find out what Apple's got in the way of new technology - and whether the hardware justifies the hype.