Slash Lane
The images showing a slightly taller iPhone design were provided by repair firm "uBreakiFix" (via Engadget). The images appear to show an iPhone with an aluminum back, featuring ends made of glass at the top and bottom.
The significant redesign also features a much smaller dock connector on the bottom of the device. It also shows a headphone jack that has been relocated to the bottom of the handset.
However, the purported next-generation iPhone component also features a suspicious font used to display the "iPhone" product name on the rear panel, suggesting the component could be an elaborate counterfeit.
The component does align with a number of rumors that have surrounded Apple's anticipated sixth-generation handset. Some reports have claimed that Apple plans to ditch the glass-back design employed on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S for a new aluminum back.
A relocation of the headphone jack on the next iPhone could also explain why a previous component showed the headphone component attached to the earpiece and Wi-Fi parts. In the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, the headphone jack is included with the handset's volume buttons and mute switch on the same component, as all of those features are located in the upper left corner of the device.
In addition, Apple is also rumored to retire the 30-pin iPod dock connector, which its devices have featured for years, with a new, smaller port that would save space on its devices. The new dock connector is rumored to make its debut on Apple's sixth-generation iPhone, which is expected to launch this fall.
Finally, the next iPhone is also rumored to feature a 4-inch display, slightly larger than the 3.5-inch screen found on all previous iPhone models. The back panel pictured in the latest component appears to show a slightly longer design, which could accommodate a larger screen on the next iPhone.
-m.jpg)
William Gallagher
Chip Loder
Wesley Hilliard
Marko Zivkovic
Malcolm Owen
Andrew O'Hara
Christine McKee
164 Comments
Who Knows... but if the overall design does end up looking this (mildly) evolutionary, as in just an elongated version of the current theme, it'll just serve as further evidence that Apple's design team appears to have few truly new ideas on the horizon.
I hope that is fake, because that is ugly and not innovative at all. The font and horrible design suggests it is in my opinion. Large plastic holes for the speakers? (iPhone 2g had much smaller holes) Dot between camera and LED? Too many bad design decisions that go against Apple's profile. Anyone else agree?
I think its a chinese fake, and the mini-connector is likely micro USB.
iPhony, iReckon.
Who Knows... but if the overall design does end up looking this (mildly) evolutionary, as in just an elongated version of the current theme, it'll just serve as further evidence that Apple's design team appears to have few truly new ideas on the horizon.
Does a device have to look dramatically different to improve? It's about the function first and foremost, isn't it?
I'm not sure I buy this at all. Given the timing, wouldn't right now be more the time when various prototypes are being created and far too soon for a finished product?
Also, why replace the glass back (which admittedly can shatter sometimes), with an aluminium back that won't shatter, but will scratch far more easily? It seems to me that there would be more complaints about the scratching than there would be incidences of shattered backs. Even if you're going to do an aluminium back, why leave the glass bits at the top and bottom? That's gives you the worst of both choices in that the glass bits could still shatter and the aluminium bits will still scratch. It's also a bitch to join them up and creates two new seams where there (apparently) needn't be any at all.
Also, why move the headphone jack to the bottom, and the speaker holes look both ugly and less efficient. It really doesn't look very "Appley" to me at all.