iOS 7 beta points to slow-mo cam feature in next iPhone

Odds are strong that Apple will debut an iPhone 5S in September or October, making this peak season for both rumors and educated guesses about the future device. This one, from 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, seems to fall squarely into the latter category and substantiates earlier speculation that an improved camera is in the works.

Gurman was tipped by a developer to some hidden references inside of the latest iOS 7 betas that indicate Apple is designing a new iPhone camera mode called "Mogul," which would allow for the capture of video at a superfast and precise rate -- 120 frames per second -- although the resolution of such a recording is still unknown.

This would let users make slow-motion films, a capability already present in competitor phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 and some sports cameras on the market. Let's face it, smartphone camera competition is getting stiff.

The big question is whether the feature would be ready for a fall debut. But the release of an iPhone 5S will all but certainly coincide with the availability of iOS 7.

Gurman points out rightly that Apple's previous iPhone "S" upgrades have "included unique features to set it apart from either previous iPhones or other devices on the market." The 3GS included new video camera and voice control features. And the 4S introduced Siri.

However, Gurman goes on to say that because the word mogul is defined as "a powerful person in a media industry," it's "a perfect code name (or even a marketing name) for a new iPhone camera feature." We'd challenge that notion by adding that the term might also refer to ski moguls, aka bumps, and could be a code name for an image stabilization tool.