As the launch of the Apple iPhone 5 draws closer with an event on September 12 expected to introduce the smartphone, rumors, news and speculation continues to flood in. Today we have some more interesting snippets about the iPhone 5, details regarding the phone using hologram technology and also acting as your song alarm clock.

Everybody is expecting the iPhone 5 to release running on the very latest Apple mobile operating system, iOS 6. This is expected to publicly release around the same time as the iPhone 5 hits the shelves and we’ve already reported on many of the new features that iOS 6 will bring. However one of those new features had passed us by and we have now learned that the alarm clock application has been updated meaning that you will be able to set your alarm clock to use your favorite song or piece of music to wake you from your slumbers. Although this seems like a minor change it will probably be one of the most used new features and will do away with the current pre-defined ringtones on offer or music that users have already downloaded from iTunes.

An Apple Insider report tells how the new iOS 6 feature means that any song from your iTunes playlist can now be used as your custom wake up alarm and it won’t cost you a penny more. In the latest iOS 6 beta the feature can be found under the Sound selector where you will then see an option to Pick a Song. A recent study showed that in the 16-34 age group around 60% of smartphone users now use their phones as their main alarm system, with a quarter of those people relying on their smartphone alarms. It seems that Apple has recognized the increasing dependence of people using their smartphones as an alarm clock and so this is another good move from the Cupertino company.

Just some of our recent iPhone 5 articles include news on pre-orders and the launch, the new motherboard, concepts and also more on the likelihood of it coming with 4G LTE connectivity. However, among the many reports of rumored features and specs something we haven’t heard much mention of before is hologram technology although there have been rumblings of 3D for the iPhone before. Businessweek has come up with an intriguing article regarding the use of hologram technology for future Apple devices. The report tells how Apple devices will be able to project holograms and asserts that this is not “mere speculation” but “insight” from recent acquisitions and patents. The article doesn’t go as far as saying that this will be in time for the iPhone 5 but of course anything is possible, although we imagine it might be for iPhones further down the line.

The article looks at a patent from November 2010 regarding a 3D display system that would make things appear as though holograms with no need for special glasses. Although many of us might argue that 3D hasn’t exactly taken off yet, despite the best efforts of many of the big tech companies, the article comes up with three reasons why Apple will get involved. Firstly Apple will always want to remain at the forefront of new technology and is unlikely to ignore any new screen developments. When others have failed with first-mover ideas Apple has often sought to become the source that makes them work.

The second reason is that Apple’s hologram technology plans are so advanced that people will be able to move around a room without the need for any special glasses or other headgear and the hologram would still remain completely realistic. Finally Apple has another idea up its sleeve as its hologram technology will be able to sense which people are watching from personal characteristics so that different people will see different images. This is certainly food for thought and if you want to read more on the technical aspects and how it works then check out the Businessweek article at the link above.

We shall of course continue to bring you more news, insight and rumors about the iPhone 5 as we hear it but we’re interested to hear what you think about the new alarm feature in iOS 6 or the idea of hologram projection coming to the iPhone. Do you think hologram technology sounds like just another gimmick that won’t catch on? Do you like the idea of being able to wake up to your customized alarm song? Let us have your comments.