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New photos purport to show near-final 'iPhone 6' rear shell, cover glass

With the launch of Apple's next-generation iPhone less than two weeks away, a new set of photos that emerged on Friday offer a look at what is said to be a near-final rear shell and cover glass elements for the forthcoming handset.

The pictured components look almost identical to previous leaks and appear to be for a 4.7-inch device. They first appeared on Chinese web forum Wei Feng, where the original poster made no claims as to their provenance.

The shell itself features a series of seemingly plastic "ribbons" that surround its upper and lower extremes, where glass would normally be found on an iPhone 5 or 5s. The strips are closer in color to the metal than they have been in previous leaks, suggesting that they may remain in the final version.

It is unclear whether the ribbons are meant to act as radio-transparent covers for the handset's antenna system, or if they act as insulators of some kind. At least one previous rumor suggested that the design was not final, and the ribbons denoted areas that would be replaced with glass in the final model.

The bottom sports holes for a headphone jack, microphone, and Lightning port, alongside a redesigned speaker grille made of six large openings. The sides feature cutouts for the volume rockers, silent switch, SIM tray, and relocated power button.

The cover glass, meanwhile, maintains the same openings for a FaceTime camera and proximity sensor as previous iPhones. It appears to taper along the edge, matching up with previous leaks.

Apple is expected to announce the 4.7-inch device at an event on Sept. 9, perhaps alongside the hotly-anticipated iWatch. AppleInsider will be on hand at the event and will bring live coverage from Cupertino's Flint Center.