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Apr 12, 2001
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Following last week's leak of home buttons claimed to be for the next-generation iPhone, parts vendor SW-BOX.com has just posted information on a claimed iPhone 5 SIM card tray fresh from one of its parts suppliers.

iphone_5_sim_card_tray_1.jpg



The tray appears essentially identical to the SIM card tray found in the iPhone 4S and 4, and if the part is indeed legitimate it suggests that Apple may retain a similar flat-edged form factor for the forthcoming device. Such a design would be opposed to a tapered or rounded-edge design that would likely require a somewhat curved exterior surface for the tray or at least a thinner tray profile as was seen in earlier iPhone models such as the 3G and 3GS.

iphone_5_sim_card_tray_2.jpg



Apple has been pushing for its own "nano-SIM" standard, but has so far been unable to win approval as competitors have objected to the proposal and offered their own designs for a smaller next-generation SIM card. Unsurprisingly, it appears that a smaller nano-SIM design will not be ready in time to be included in the next-generation iPhone.

Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPhone later this year, with many observers suggesting that Apple will once again target the September-October timeframe for the launch. Many users have been hoping for a significant redesign following Apple's pattern of maintaining a similar form factor for two generations between major design overhauls, but part leaks that might reveal Apple's plans have yet to begin surfacing.

Update: As several observers have pointed out, the SIM card tray does have some subtle differences compared to the tray used in the iPhone 4S and 4, with a slight tapering of metal frame pieces and an extra metal shelf not seen in current trays. Consequently, the part certainly appears to not simply be an iPhone 4S SIM card tray, and while it could be a knockoff part, SW-BOX.com and its supplier seem to believe that it is genuine.

iphone_5_sim_tray_annotated.jpg



(Thanks, CydiaBlog.com)

Article Link: Claimed iPhone 5 SIM Card Tray Appears Identical to iPhone 4S
 

ECUpirate44

macrumors 603
Mar 22, 2010
5,750
8
NC
Here we go... I'm thinking a slightly thinner iPhone 4 like design. Would they have to redesign the sim card try for that?
 

Gemütlichkeit

macrumors 65816
Nov 17, 2010
1,276
0
if it's just a spec upgrade i'll be sticking with my iPhone 4. once i'm out of contract i'll call up AT&T to unlock it.
 

Spectrum Abuser

macrumors 65816
Aug 27, 2011
1,377
48
IMHO the whole 'Nano-Microsim' concept is just that, a concept. Nearly every device outside of the iFamily has yet to even adapt the Microsim.
 

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,426
4,391
Scenario 1:

If the iPhone 5 is due out in the fall, why are parts such as the home button and sim card tray circulating so early? No way would China have their hands on production ready parts a little under half a year before it's even announced. This is fake.

Scenario 2:

The iPhone 5 is due out at WWDC given the recent plethora of part leaks, but it may not be as radical of a redesign as we initially though. Furthermore, just because this is a flat sim tray, doesn't mean that it's not a bigger screen or thinner, ect.
 

winston1236

macrumors 68000
Dec 13, 2010
1,902
319
Well, the Mac Pro hasn't been redesigned in years it wouldn't be surprising if the phone stays the same. Although I would be disappointed and wouldn't buy.
 

cvaldes

macrumors 68040
Dec 14, 2006
3,237
0
somewhere else
I already have an iPhone 5. On the box it says 'iPhone 4S' but it's definitely the fifth generation handset from Apple.

We're talking about the sixth-generation device which will definitely not be called the 'iPhone 5' by Apple.

That said, this "leaked parts" rumor sounds very suspicious.
 

Lareson

macrumors newbie
Nov 15, 2011
22
2
Yeah, this one is different that the one in my iPhone 4. The lip is in a different spot and there's weird indents on the bottom where the serial number would go.

If someone can get a hold of one, I say it needs to be test whether or not this is LiquidMetal though. If it is, then the chance of it being the next iPhone is much higher. No sense of making the SIM card tray one material and the rest of the phone another.
 

MVallee

macrumors 6502a
Feb 8, 2007
810
183
Ontario, Canada
I still think the iPhone 4/4S design is nice and I'd be happy if the new design was a tweaked version. Perhaps thinner with a larger screen.
 

cvaldes

macrumors 68040
Dec 14, 2006
3,237
0
somewhere else
This has already been beaten to death, but im putting my money on "The Late 2012 iPhone."
Nah, Apple generally refers to the product name itself with the production date in parenthesis, like "MacBook (Late 2006)."

Most likely the marketing department will call the next iPhone, "the new iPhone" and the technical support department will refer to it as "iPhone (Late 2012)."

It's amusing that people still refer to the next-generation iPhone as the "iPhone 5" when it is pretty damned certain that it will never be called that nor is it the fifth-generation device.
 

ECUpirate44

macrumors 603
Mar 22, 2010
5,750
8
NC
Nah, Apple generally refers to the product name itself with the production date in parenthesis, like "MacBook (Late 2006)."

Most likely the marketing department will call the next iPhone, "the new iPhone" and the technical support department will refer to it as "iPhone (Late 2012)."

It's amusing that people still refer to the next-generation iPhone as the "iPhone 5" when it is pretty damned certain that it will never be called that nor is it the fifth-generation device.

Right, thats the style I was referring to rather than iPhone 5.
 

d0vr

macrumors 6502a
Feb 24, 2011
603
1
So based on the button and sim tray rumor, the new iPhone will look like the 4/4S? Boooo!

I hope these are just prototype parts of previous phones coming to surface or Apple trying to trace part leaks. The 4S was already underwhelming enough...
 

newyorksole

macrumors 603
Apr 2, 2008
5,064
6,359
New York.
why is it so hard to believe that a redesigned phone can use the same sim tray as they iPhone 4/4S......

new phone doesn't mean there has to be a revolutionary new SIM tray....
 
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