AppleInsider Staff
The new cases are available from Shenzhen L&Y Technology Co., Ltd., based in Guandong in mainland China. Available in a number of designs and colors, they again suggest that Apple is planning a redesign for its anticipated fifth-generation iPhone.
Like third-party cases that began to crop up in China in July, the latest designs appear to show a mute switch that has been moved to the right side of the device. On the iPhone 4 and all previous versions of Apple's smartphone, the mute switch has been located on the left side, above the volume buttons.
The cases also show curved sides on the iPhone, in a design much like the iPad 2. Those sides level off to a flat back that can be stable when placed on a table.
The new cases also show volume buttons that are more akin to those on the iPhone 3GS and its predecessors with an elongated shape. On the iPhone 4, Apple adopted metal, circular volume buttons, while the longer buttons remained on last year's fourth-generation iPod touch.
In fact, the alleged design of the new iPhone has many traits in common with last year's iPod touch, including the volume buttons and curved sides. But the new cases also clearly show a headphone jack on top, as well as the moved mute switch, which are features currently only found on the iPhone, as well as the iPad.
The cases stand in contrast to numerous reports which have indicated the next iPhone will closely resemble the currently available iPhone 4. In addition, a number of leaked components have shown a next-generation handset with the same size and shape as the iPhone 4.
But still other rumors have suggested the next iPhone will be a "major redesign," lending support to the cases that have proliferated in China. That has led to some speculation that the other, iPhone 4-like components might be for a new low-end iPhone 4 intended to replace the iPhone 3GS, which sells for $49 with a new two-year service contract.
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Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Christine McKee
Chip Loder
Marko Zivkovic
61 Comments
Bored with iPhone 5 rumors so now on to the cases.
How do we know this case isn't destined for a future iPod Touch instead?
How do we know this case isn't destined for a future iPod Touch instead?
As in the iPod touch 3G? Maybe it's time to promote the iPod touch. To give it built-in 3G like the 3G iPad models, but to add the option to put in a GSM SIM card (or to activate it on CDMA networks.) Users could choose between data-only 3G or data + voice.
I still maintain my theory:
iPhone 4 and 3GS will be discontinued. Apple would make too much off of the $99 iPhone over the next year and for that price point, they can give it some more balls. The $99 iPhone will be an iPhone 4S.
The new top of the line iPhone will be a redesigned iPhone 5. iPhone 5's larger screen will match up proportionally with the 2012 iPad which will be of higher resolution but the same screen size.
Since Lion launched, Apple will want to give consumers a new hardware refresh on most of their product lines to go with their great software.
iPod gets updated, but what could you really do? Add 3G as an option, like it is with an iPad. They won't want to diminish the iPhone 5 design by applying it to the iPod just yet, so look for the iPod to resemble what it currently is, but along the lines of the iPhone 4S.
Maybe Apple is planning a multi-model iPhone / iPod touch lineup:
iPhone 5: rounded edges, 3.7" screen, A5 SoC.
iPhone 4: same as the 2010 model, but priced $100 less. *
iPhone 4S: iPhone 4 modified for the Chinese market. **
iPod touch 3G: built-in 3G data, optional SIM card or CDMA activation to add voice calling.
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* Maybe Apple could update the iPhone 4 to be a GSM + CDMA "world phone." This would mean only one production line for AT&T / VZW / etc. iPhone 4.
** Pegatron's 15% share of iPhone production could be devoted entirely to China-market iPhone 4.