'iPhone 5' appears to adopt internal design elements from iPhone 3GS

According to a report by RepairLabs, new photos depicting the iPhone 5's front digitizer and display assembly show metal brackets that "suggest that it will be sitting into a housing, similar to a 3GS, but more updated and modern."

The site observes that "it looks like it has a plastic 3GS-type midframe running around the digitizer and glass LCD assembly," adding, "we notice a striking similarity to a 3GS, with the bottom screws and brackets. We think it’s going to pull open from the front."

The report includes photos that detail bottom screw brackets similar to the design of the iPhone 3GS, surrounding the smaller, 9-pin Dock Connector that has been previously reported.

"From the width of the bracket, we can tell the charger port is indeed going to be smaller because it has to fit between the two silver bottom screw brackets, just like a 3GS," the report adds.

"These pictures suggest that the LCD may pull apart from the Digitizer, given the rivets on the sides. (This is similar again to the 3GS, but a departure from the 4 and 4S.)" The site provides additional photos of the digitizer/display in its report.

Apple is expected to introduce the sixth generation iPhone at a media event in California on September 12th.