Wednesday, June 02, 2010, 03:40 pm

More alleged Apple iPhone 4G parts show white external casing

By Sam Oliver

Components claimed to be from Apple's forthcoming fourth-generation iPhone once again show a white external casing, this time with a previously unseen white back panel.

PowerBook Medic obtained images of both the front and back panels for the newly designed casing. While the shown front panel matches what was previously pictured online, the back of the device shows space for a camera flash and a larger camera lens, as were found in the black models that were publicly disassembled.

The white back panel, covered with a plastic seal, lacks any markers that might indicate the storage capacity of the new device, and it does not feature a model number, suggesting it is not a final product.

The parts do clearly show the side-facing slot for a micro-SIM card, and the device's previously revealed metal sides. The front panel also features a spot for a forward-facing camera.

Last month, the first glimpse of a white next-generation iPhone was seen when an alleged part was obtained. The same site later placed the white front panel atop other components to give an idea of what the device might look like when it is finally released.


Previous reports said the back panel is made of glass or a similar material designed to help improve reception of Apple's next-generation handset.

Apple first began to offer color options with the iPhone 3G in 2008 with the second-generation version of the hardware. Apple gave the iPhone a polished, plastic back, available in shiny black for the 8GB and 16GB models, and offered a polished white option for the 16GB model only. But both the black and white models retained the black front panel surrounding the handset's multitouch LCD screen, while the new part suggests Apple could bring the color to the front side of the device.


Apple is expected to introduce its fourth-generation iPhone next week at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The event will kick off on Monday, June 7, with a keynote hosted by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.