Sam Oliver
Yet another rear shell for Apple's next-generation iPhone has purportedly been outed by sources in the company's Far East supply chain, with the latest set of photos showing a more refined unit complete with an iPad-like inlaid Apple logo.
The part appears to be at a later stage of manufacturing than those shown in previous leaks, with a smoother appearance. Utility comparison site uSwitch was first to publish the images.
The reason behind Apple's supposed move to an inlaid logo is not immediately clear, though some have speculated that it could be designed to allow the logo to light up — similar to the company's MacBook line — to notify users when a call or message comes in. The more likely explanation, however, is that the opening would be used for signals from one of the device's many antennae.
Another possible explanation is the widely-rumored inclusion of NFC in the so-called "iPhone 6," possibly coinciding with the introduction of an iTunes-backed mobile payment system. Placing an NFC antenna behind the Apple logo could be convenient for tap-and-go purchases.
Apple is widely expected to offer the iPhone 6 in two versions — one with a 4.7-inch display and a larger, 5.5-inch "phablet" variant. Other features rumored to be in the offing are a new, 128-gigabyte capacity version, optical image stabilization, and a faster "A8" CPU.
Andrew Orr
Christine McKee
Sponsored Content
Wesley Hilliard
AppleInsider Staff
Amber Neely
37 Comments
How about all of the above?
I hope they don't axe the current form factor. Many people prefer a smaller phone. Especially those of us who carry iPads for large screen functionality.
Apple isn’t Samsung.
Interesting. I see the white plastic dividers in the outer edge but I do not see any place for glass inserts on the back.
Hard to tell but the power switch does look like it is on the side
The edges of the case do not look rounded like in the mock-ups
The inner surface looks incredibly smooth. Could it be…?
Every other iPhone they've made has had serious milling marks on the inside of the back. This one is clearly a forged or stamped piece instead. Why the difference all of a sudden? A December 2013 patent described making liquidmetal in float forges like glass is made so that it comes off the line in large flat thin sheets ready for stamping...