3G iPhone to have smaller screen???

[Tom B.]

This is interesting:

Remember last year, when a little-known company named Uniea announced new iPod nano cases—with correct physical dimensions—before the new iPod nano was ever shown? As we mentioned shortly afterwards, readers were quick to slam Uniea and its mock-ups, but the cases proved perfect fits when the new nano was released. Now, there are all sorts of friend-of-a-friend stories swirling around about the second-generation iPhone, and perhaps not surprisingly, they contradict one another. Yesterday, a Taiwanese newspaper claimed Hon Hai/Foxconn was making an iPhone with a 2.8” screen, which would present certain major interface challenges given the way the current iPhone works, and might well be a “mini” iPhone rather than a full sequel to the current model. Additionally, like you, we’ve heard about another model that is supposedly coming soon, and sounds more like a true next-generation iPhone. Companies overseas have already started working on products for this one, which is basically the same size as the current iPhone, but has slightly different curves, coloration, and materials. Specs for either or both of these models could be nothing more than disinformation put out to burn developers, but they could also be correct. In any case, here are the details they’re working from:

Developers believe that the “glossy black plastic iPhone” details that have been circulating are partially accurate. When you first hear the word “plastic,” you tend to think “cheap,” but the premise here appears to be to approximate the look of metal through automobile-style gloss, while eliminating the presence of matte plastics and metal found in the original iPhone. The rear shell becomes larger, with the hard aluminum casing disappearing entirely, but a silver metallic bezel remains on the front—just much thinner than before. Once flat on both the back and front, the enclosure now is tapered like a MacBook Air, thicker at the center than at the sides. From the side, top, or bottom, the curves and proportions look more Blackberry than iPhone, but from the front, the new model looks basically unchanged from its predecessor. Perforated bottom speaker and microphone grilles have been transformed into larger shapes alongside the Dock Connector, as well.

While the screen size stays the same in this model—3.5” diagonal, with 3” height and 2” width, some currently unexplained changes are made around the ear speaker. On iPhone, a proximity sensor and ambient light sensor sat above this speaker; the new version has what appear to be three separate sensors, or two sensors and a tiny second camera—the original camera stays where it was. Though it would be great to picture this new dot as a video iChat-ready camera location, it’s entirely possible that this is nothing more than a rearrangement of the proximity sensor array. And colors? Glossy black or white backs are apparently locks, with a red version possible, too. Each would have the same silver bezel on front, and substantially black material surrounding the screen.

Of course, only Apple and its key partners know if any of this is correct, but some companies are assuming that it is. It’ll be interesting to see whether they’re right, and new cases begin to appear immediately after iPhone’s launch, or whether a multi-month delay is in store.

Link.

Also, this too:

Apple's plans iPhone diversity for June
Apple’s iPhone plans continue to leak, or so it seems as the pre-June rumour mill continues to drive through the gears - now a new report claims we’re going to see not one, not two but three different models of the device.
These reports confirm our earlier “Apple plots iPhone diversity roadmap” story, which claimed Apple plans to diversify its iPhone product range in order to widen its reach in the mobile phone market.
The latest leak comes from the Taiwan Economic News, which claims three models of the iPhone may appear. The first will be a smaller, lighter handset with a plastic rather than aluminium magnesium case.
This device will weigh just 110-120g, less than the 135g weight of the current model. It will also offer a 2.8-inch screen, rather than the 3.5-inch screen currently offered on the iPhone.
The smaller model won’t offer 3G support. Instead, Apple intends selling a higher-specified iPhone equipped with such support. This handset will also offer GPS and will have a larger case, presumably more or less the same dimensions as the existing handset.
Finally, Apple plans to maintain its current generation iPhone as a third middle option.
“Components suppliers in Asia pointed out that Apple has asked them to ready materials for the new phones by the end of next month. They are asked to deliver components enough for 300,000 phones in the initial stage and components enough for three million phones in June,” reports the Taiwan Economic News.
Multiple rumours meanwhile suggest Apple will also mark June’s introduction of the new generation iPhones - and the next version of the software that runs all iPhones - with a widespread launch of the device to multiple companies, perhaps on a carrier-agnostic sales model.
Australia, South America, Canada, India, Russia, many European states, Korea and more all seem set to see the product launch, perhaps as part of an overweaning push to help Apple secure the level of sales it requires in order to meet its ten million sales target by the end of the financial year.

Link. 9to5Mac have got a lot right in the past, so I wonder how reliable this is? I certainly hope it is true.