Purported 'iPhone 5' cases show design near-identical to Apple's iPhone 4
The picture of case renderings, obtained by HardMac, shows identical button placement and SIM card slot. It also has the same space on the back for a camera and flash.
The report noted that the information is not "confirmed," but dubbed the source "reliable."
"These cases would be prototypes of the iPhone 5 cases, based on the mockup that was provided by Apple," the report said. "There is apparently no fundamental change on the placement of the buttons and the SIM card slot."
If accurate, the renderings would likely disprove an earlier rumor that Apple is looking to abandon the steel outer frame of the iPhone 4 following bad publicity over alleged antenna issues. That rumor also suggested the so-called "iPhone 5" would adopt an antenna back, suggesting a major redesign.
Third-party cases from overseas companies have become a popular — and sometimes very accurate — source of potential information about Apple's secret upcoming products. As far back as early December, pictures of an iPad 2 case correctly revealed the device would have a rear-facing camera and a larger speaker grille on the back.
Last week, alleged engineering sketches claimed to show off the iPhone 5 showed a device with a larger edge-to-edge display. Aside from the bigger screen, the rest of the device was shown unchanged externally from the iPhone 4.
42 Comments
i don't expect a radical form-factor redesign for the next iPhone. I suspect it will be something along the lines of an iPhone 4-S, like the 3GS upgrade.
I would have liked to see a redesign more akin to iPad2, but I guess it likely won't happen just yet. If that is true, then in my opinion there are two things that really need to happen with iP5...
1. Find a way to decrease antenna issues-
Even though the reported antenna issues weren't as bad as some reported, I think there is still room for improvement here by either giving the external antennas a special coating, or connecting them differently.
2. Use a stronger material on back instead of glass.
The glass is gorgeous and feels really good in the hand, but it is just not not strong enough. Most users don't want to be worried about breakage from dropping, and they don't want to feel forced to put it in a case.
i don't expect a radical form-factor redesign for the next iPhone. I suspect it will be something along the lines of an iPhone 4-S, like the 3GS upgrade.
Me too. Unless Apple wants to try to make a few bucks with selling cases/covers before the 3rd-parties can make it to market, I?d expect a tick/tock method of keeping a base design for 2 years on average.
The same design is fine with me. Anything except that strange sliding-keyboard rumor from a few weeks ago.
Do people really think that the notoriously secret Apple would give case manufacturers a preview of the iPhone 5?