Apple sends out invites to an Oct. 4 event with the tagline, "Let's talk iPhone." Will the next iPhone run on fast 4G networks or not? It’s one of the big questions being debated among Apple watchers. The Apple iPhone rumor mill is in full spin after Apple sent out invitations to an Oct. 4 event. Across the invite were the not-so-subtle words: “Let’s talk iPhone.” Slideshow: 15 Best iPhone Apps for Busy CEOs While no one outside of Apple’s inner circle knows the answer, we can make educated guesses about what the iPhone 5 (or maybe it’s called the iPhone 4GS) will look like and what surprises might be in store for the Apple faithful. But the question of 4G capability is different, and it has both technical and marketing aspects. On the technical side, a strong case can be made that the iPhone should not support 4G. Truth is, the new 4G chipsets are still very inefficient in terms of power consumption. Recall the atrocious battery life of the iPhone when the 3G chipsets were in a similar state, and how the 3G chipsets became more power efficient over time. “The original iPhone wasn’t anywhere good enough with battery life,” Kyle Wiens of iFixit told me recently. “The battery life of the iPhone 4 seems acceptable. My guess is that Apple, with the use of improved chipsets, will reduce the battery size by 20 percent. Same battery life, smaller battery.” The 4G chipsets still have a ways to go. “I don’t think anybody is expecting Apple to go to 4G this year,” Wiens says. “It’s the chipsets and faster wireless protocols that are really the battery hogs. Look at the battery life of every new 4G phone; it’s not acceptable.” On the other hand, tech analyst Rob Enderle says he would be surprised if Apple doesn’t go with 4G on the iPhone. “Another 3G phone would be a problem given the heavy push into 4G and would likely give iPhone 4G competitors an unusual advantage,” Enderle says, adding, “Apple tends to like to lead rather than lag on technology. They don’t like being followers.” What about battery life? Enderle admits that the first Apple 3G iPhone took a battery hit, with the iPhone 3GS likely being the best of the series. But Enderle figures Apple will get aggressive on using a 4G capability that doesn’t lead to short battery life. “That’s what they did with the first MacBook Airs,” Enderle says. “They put in a 1.8 GHz processor so they could argue they had performance but then throttled it back to around 900 MHz to keep the laptop from melting. So I’d expect a slow 4G over a 3G offering, but we’ll see.” Related content opinion Google Bigwig Eric Schmidt Posts Bizarre Guide for 'Converting to Android from iPhone' Google's Executive Chairman wants you to switch from iPhone to Android, and he posted a strange guide to help make the transition as smooth as possible. By Al Sacco Dec 09, 2013 2 mins Smartphones Android Operating Systems opinion Apple's 'Spaceship' Campus Evokes Jobs-Era Perfectionism Some facts have emerged about Apple's planned "spaceship" campus. Delayed and over-budget but painstakingly detailed, it's already part of Apple history, and makes CIO.com's Tom Kaneshige nostalgic for Steve Jobs' maniac By Tom Kaneshige Apr 05, 2013 3 mins Financial Services Industry Innovation IT Leadership opinion Apple, Where Art Thou? Apple is under siege and uncharacteristically running for cover amidst mounting competition and research reports favoring Android. By Tom Kaneshige Mar 12, 2013 2 mins Smartphones Tablets IT Leadership opinion Is Computer's Future a Glass House? According to Google and Corning, glass surfaces and eyeglasses are where we'll do our computing in the future. By Tom Kaneshige Mar 06, 2013 1 min Small and Medium Business Innovation Mobile Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe