A Closer Look at Apple's Next-Generation 'Unibody' iPhone Design

[ahireasu]

Yes, not so long ago, a plane made an emergency landing because an iPhone caught fire. The problem was traced to the battery replacement, which had been botched by some backstreet cheap shop.

This is one of the reasons that Apple doesn't want people fiddling with the phone.

Or you can say it as it really is,this thing happened because apple doesn't let people to change their own battery.
🙄

 

[BvizioN]

It breaks principles of good design for example by having decorative piece of glass on the back that serves no purpose .

And you know this.... exactly how?

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It's unfortunate that people just blindly buy anything Apple I use the iPhone enough that I get each 1 that releases because the added speed/camera quality or whatever are really beneficial.

So... let me get this straight. Other people just blindly buy anything Apple, but you don't? Because you have reasons(stated above) but others don't. Is that right?

 

[stukick]

I think I've seen that rear design before...

 

[rsocal]

Buy Blind

Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterSharp
It breaks principles of good design for example by having decorative piece of glass on the back that serves no purpose .

And you know this.... exactly how?

----Quote:
Originally Posted by newyorksole
It's unfortunate that people just blindly buy anything Apple I use the iPhone enough that I get each 1 that releases because the added speed/camera quality or whatever are really beneficial.
------



So... let me get this straight. Other people just blindly buy anything Apple, but you don't? Because you have reasons(stated above) but others don't. Is that right?

Yes, please elaborate? I buy most all Apple products from computing to my iPhone, but I have quite the list of reasons! So again can you elaborate how we, as consumers, buy blindly just because it's Apple?
Its because Apple products are so far much better quality and UI on all Apple products, easy, smooth and C.S service that no company comes close to!
So yes, you could say that I buy Apple blindly😎

 

[msimpson]

Don't sue me...

Image

I wonder if part of the reason to evolve the iPhone design instead of coming up with something totally new is to re-enforce Apple's standing in its lawsuits against other companies like Samsung?

"this is what iPhones look like"

I like the look of the new iPhone, if that is what it truly will look like. In some ways the total iPhone design does not matter to me, I use a thin Speck case on my iPhone and would probably do the same with a new one.

 

[apolloa]

Oh - you sure know a lot about cars don't you?

The currently acclaimed best handled car in the world, Ferrari 458 Italia, has a beautiful glass back so you can look at the marvellous engine.

Actually a lot of high performance cars have the engine on the backside working as so called rear-mid-engine. Check the extensive list of Supercars on Wikipedia. 😀

On topic - that phone is butt ugly. Period.

Whilst the Italia is sure a beautiful car, if I won the lottery I would be STRAIGHT down to the Aston Martin factory!!! haha.

I suppose you could compare an Aston to the iPhone because they have kept a similar design philosophy for a while now?

 

[dv8r]

Oh - you sure know a lot about cars don't you?

The currently acclaimed best handled car in the world, Ferrari 458 Italia, has a beautiful glass back so you can look at the marvellous engine.

Actually a lot of high performance cars have the engine on the backside working as so called rear-mid-engine. Check the extensive list of Supercars on Wikipedia. 😀

On topic - that phone is butt ugly. Period.

The 911 was a Rear-engine and the 458 is a Rear Mid-engine - there is a difference. The original 911 had a lot of oversteering problems, at one point they put cast iron on the front to compensate. 911 oversteering problems lead to the duck-tail design on later models.

On topic also - the design has grown on me. I think the low-res photos of badly assembled cases doesn't do it justice. Now - move the headphone jack back to the top...

 

[sulpfiction]

I'm curious as to why you think that the vast majority of people who don't use cases on their iPhones, break them? There will always be people who break things, that doesn't mean you or I need a case for our phones. If you choose to use one, thats fine, but it was never necessary.

To each his own, but I think a case on the iPhone 4/4S is more necessary then not.

 

[rsocal]

Evolving iPhone

I wonder if part of the reason to evolve the iPhone design instead of coming up with something totally new is to re-enforce Apple's standing in its lawsuits against other companies like Samsung?

"this is what iPhones look like"

I like the look of the new iPhone, if that is what it truly will look like. In some ways the total iPhone design does not matter to me, I use a thin Speck case on my iPhone and would probably do the same with a new one.

Exactly, and I even still love the design of the iPhone 4s & 4! I would still get the new iPhone if it looked like my iPhone 4s! I personly machined aluminum case's on my 4s and the best one that does not effect signal at all is the Rokform Fuzion. But there is some really cool ones out there that only effect signal slightly. So that's how I change my design as well as protecting the goods.

I distinctly remember reading that Steve Jobs was involved with the design of the new iPhone so the people that say "S.J. would not have let this happen" are completely wrong! The design too me, is different and I'm sure it's going to have plenty of new innerards. The best way to evolve this kind of tech is to refine and refine a great design as it slowly evolves. That's evolution!😎

 

[aerok]

First ever unibody smartphone, 7.6 mm thick, the same brilliant antenna design from the 4S and with a whole bunch of new goodies thrown in for good measure.

First ever unibody? There has been a few already, I'm actually holding one right now... Here are some of them

HTC Legend
HTC One X
HTC One V
HTC One S

Those are the ones on top of my head, I'm pretty sure there are more...

 

[swagi]

Whilst the Italia is sure a beautiful car, if I won the lottery I would be STRAIGHT down to the Aston Martin factory!!! haha.

I suppose you could compare an Aston to the iPhone because they have kept a similar design philosophy for a while now?

Well - speaking about lottery winning - I'd sure take one 2013 Vanquish as well. But given the 458 Spider uses a hardtop, I'd have one of those too for the sunny days. 😀

Nevertheless this new iPhone doesn't impress me at all. I own a SG3 right now and I'm definitely looking forward to receive the JellyBean treatment on it. Nevertheless I keep a close eye on Windows Phone. If the battery wasn't that bad the Nokia Lumia is really nice.

iOS biggest drawback is the current limitation with information syncing. I love my Android widgets. And Live Tiles on windows phone also rock.

If iOS7 evolves to incorporate live information on the homescreen I may reconsider - but currently iOS has become the dinosaur of mobile OSes IMHO.

I guess a lot of people would reconsider their phone choice if they weren't locked into the ecosystem that bad. I personally have to move on as the neglected Mac OS platform has lost its attraction to me. And Apple's planned obsolescence stance on the Mac side of things pushes me to Linux (though Windows is regaining respect with me currently).

 

[aerok]

Why does everyone keep saying they're stoked for a unibody iPhone? iPhone 4S is already a unibody phone!!

No it's not...

 

[rsocal]

First ever unibody? There has been a few already, I'm actually holding one right now... Here are some of them

HTC Legend
HTC One X
HTC One V
HTC One S

Those are the ones on top of my head, I'm pretty sure there are more...

I don't think those are aluminum unibody phones. I could be wrong?

 

[aerok]

I don't think those are aluminum unibody phones. I could be wrong?

The OP was that there was no unibody at all, not just aluminum. Either way, not sure about the Legend but the One S is all aluminum.

 

[jacobj]

EDIT: This is just what we can tell... we don't know any of the other secrets it has.

That may well be it. Apple's revolutionary changes have never been leaked and were rarely rumoured. The nature of revolutionary is that others don't conceive of them.

I am not saying it will be revolutionary, but we have had no leaks other than basic part and design leaks. When Tim said doubling down on security he probably meant it. Therefore we have to assume this is not in the "super super secret" part of production; just the "secret" bit.

This phone looks better and better to me and my early scepticism re the design is fading. Is it me or are we seeing better finished parts now.

 

[rsocal]

The OP was that there was no unibody at all, not just aluminum. Either way, not sure about the Legend but the One S is all aluminum.

Huh.....😱

 

[kalsta]

You didn't have to buy one last time around either. I've never used a case on any of my iPhones, have dropped them all numerous times, and have never broken the front or back glass.

Get back to us when your sample size > 1.

 

[apolloa]

Well - speaking about lottery winning - I'd sure take one 2013 Vanquish as well. But given the 458 Spider uses a hardtop, I'd have one of those too for the sunny days. 😀

Nevertheless this new iPhone doesn't impress me at all. I own a SG3 right now and I'm definitely looking forward to receive the JellyBean treatment on it. Nevertheless I keep a close eye on Windows Phone. If the battery wasn't that bad the Nokia Lumia is really nice.

iOS biggest drawback is the current limitation with information syncing. I love my Android widgets. And Live Tiles on windows phone also rock.

If iOS7 evolves to incorporate live information on the homescreen I may reconsider - but currently iOS has become the dinosaur of mobile OSes IMHO.

I guess a lot of people would reconsider their phone choice if they weren't locked into the ecosystem that bad. I personally have to move on as the neglected Mac OS platform has lost its attraction to me. And Apple's planned obsolescence stance on the Mac side of things pushes me to Linux (though Windows is regaining respect with me currently).

I am locked into iOS but am happy with the iPhone, I will however not buy another iPhone for a while after the next one. But it is lacking in some areas compared to the competition.
Luckily I choose Android for my tablet OS, so I get the best of both worlds, got a Nexus 7 on my Christmas list. I think this is the best thing to do, unless you are happy with one ecosystem entirely, you should have a spread so you get the best of both worlds.

 

[aerok]

I am locked into iOS but am happy with the iPhone, I will however not buy another iPhone for a while after the next one. But it is lacking in some areas compared to the competition.
Luckily I choose Android for my tablet OS, so I get the best of both worlds, got a Nexus 7 on my Christmas list. I think this is the best thing to do, unless you are happy with one ecosystem entirely, you should have a spread so you get the best of both worlds.

The problem of having an iOS phone and an Android tablet is the fact you have to pay twice for the same apps sometimes because of the different ecosystems. I'm a victim of that, I already paid 3 times for the app that I use on Blackberry, iOS and Android.

 

[Zunjine]

First ever unibody? There has been a few already, I'm actually holding one right now... Here are some of them

HTC Legend
HTC One X
HTC One V
HTC One S

Those are the ones on top of my head, I'm pretty sure there are more...

I should have been clearer that I'm talking about stainless steel unibody - which this phone appears to be.

I wasn't aware of that there have been other unibody phones, however. I'd be interested to see how they compare to the new iPhone when it comes out.

 

[aerok]

I should have been clearer that I'm talking about stainless steel unibody - which this phone appears to be.

I wasn't aware of that there have been other unibody phones, however. I'd be interested to see how they compare to the new iPhone when it comes out.

If they use stainless steel then they really screwed up, steel is much heavier than aluminum. I REALLY doubt they're going to use steel considering Macbooks are made of aluminum.

 

[kalsta]

They don't know. None of them know. When pressed they will usually ask for a bigger screen or inductive charging or some other gimmick. And they really seem to be missing the importance of this unibody casing. The reason this new iPhone will be so thin and light and sturdy is because Apple has perfected this style of casing design from the macbook air to the new pros and is now bringing it to the smartphone space. That's a really big deal but, no, people want to moan that the screen is too small!

It's pretty funny when you hear people use the word 'innovation' in reference to their phone's giant screen!

When everyone was complaining about the two tone back I made a point of posting about how Apple's designs are always driven by function.

Not 'always' unfortunately.

 

[Pianoblack3]

Yeah that sucks - but other than that I like the design.

The iPods have used it for a long time (Admittedly, not from the start), and it all of a sudden sucks? Could you explain?

Unibody is cool and all but Apple needs to stop saying that it increased durability. It doesn't. Its the same in cars. Cars/trucks with frames are almost always more durable than unibody cars. Unibodies are more susceptible to warping and are almost impossible to get back in shape without replacing the entire body.

A car is ten times the size of an iPhone, i'm pretty sure the warping shown in Unibody cars is cause of it's size and weight. So in such a small device, it helps a lot.

(Not to mention saying 'Car' is very general, there are so many different shapes how could you possibly compare them to a mobile?)

 

[nickelt]

I should have been clearer that I'm talking about stainless steel unibody - which this phone appears to be.

I wasn't aware of that there have been other unibody phones, however. I'd be interested to see how they compare to the new iPhone when it comes out.

Stainless steel? No one has said anything about stainless steel for a phone.

 

[sunseeker]

Unibody is cool and all but Apple needs to stop saying that it increased durability. It doesn't. Its the same in cars. Cars/trucks with frames are almost always more durable than unibody cars. Unibodies are more susceptible to warping and are almost impossible to get back in shape without replacing the entire body.

I guess you never heard of a monocoque, you might also notice the ridges which add strength and who cares about getting it back in shape when it's less likely to get bent out of shape in the first place