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Apple's 'N94' iPhone 4S Appears in Inventory Database

This looks like the final nail in the coffin for the 'teardrop iPhone 5' theory. Let's face it, there has been NO physical evidence for the iPhone 5 and everything has pointed to the N94 iPhone 4S all along. We had all heard this year would be more about software than hardware with iOS 5 and iCloud and the Assistant feature and it looks like that is truly the case. Android cannot match Apple on software. But if a big, laggy, pixelated screen is what you want, go Android by all means.

Those of you still in denial about no teardrop iPhone 5 - how messed up would Apple's product line look if they offered iPhone 4 8GB-32GB, iPhone 4S 16GB-32GB and iPhone 5 16GB-32GB (just guessing on the latter capacity) in both black and white? Doesn't sound very refined and Apple-like to me. Some car manufacturers have less complicated lines than that.

The teardrop iPhone 5 is likely an iPhone 6 or a fifth-gen prototype that didn't make the cut. Or a straight smokescreen on Apple's part.
 
ARM1968 said:
Ohh - so not the iPhone 4S then - which doesn't and has never existed. IPhone 4 will continue with tweaks. iPhone 5 will be the new Daddy!!
Click to expand...

Quite an impressive fail.
 
I have a bad feeling that the 4S is going to be the only phone...

If that's the case, I think Apple is making a huge mistake.

First of all, the naming scheme is stupid. Calling the second iPhone the iPhone 3G was kind of dumb, because yes it revolved around the cell technology, but the number and the generation weren't consistent. I thought they corrected this problem by naming the 3rd gen phone the 3GS - which worked because it was a largely similar phone, but now the numbers match. Then, they release the 4. Again, 4th generation, 4 in the name. Jumping to 4S now is another mismatch unless they release a 5 as well.

Second, there will be a lot of unhappy people (myself included), who have been waiting for 15 months, if all we get is a spec bump. The reason people like design changes is so they can show it off, and others can tell that someone has the newest model. I don't want my iPhone 5 to look like an iPhone 4...
 
Widashy said:
That's new theory folks - A 4S which is redesigned.
Click to expand...

Well, the N94 part leaked the other week in white, clearly showed an A5 chip, and was identical to the current iPhone 4 design.

I'd buy the next iPhone regardless of it looking like the iPhone 4 I already own. My wife wants my iPhone 4, and I'd happily take an A5 chip and 1GB of RAM.
 
Dubthedankest said:
This looks like the final nail in the coffin for the 'teardrop iPhone 5' theory. Let's face it, there has been NO physical evidence for the iPhone 5 and everything has pointed to the N94 iPhone 4S all along. We had all heard this year would be more about software than hardware with iOS 5 and iCloud and the Assistant feature and it looks like that is truly the case. Android cannot match Apple on software. But if a big, laggy, pixelated screen is what you want, go Android by all means.

Those of you still in denial about no teardrop iPhone 5 - how messed up would Apple's product line look if they offered iPhone 4 8GB-32GB, iPhone 4S 16GB-32GB and iPhone 5 16GB-32GB (just guessing on the latter capacity) in both black and white? Doesn't sound very refined and Apple-like to me. Some car manufacturers have less complicated lines than that.

The teardrop iPhone 5 is likely an iPhone 6 or a fifth-gen prototype that didn't make the cut. Or a straight smokescreen on Apple's part.
Click to expand...

lol, most of this made sense but that last part made me laugh.

Apple uses a good design, a design that everybody gets excited about, as a smokescreen for a **** one?
 
oiuh151 said:
I don't exactly consider The New York Times a credible tech related source nor can I find any other source that says that that information came from an Apple employee. The BGR report they link to has no mention of any Apple employee.
Click to expand...

The Apple engineer told the NYT reporter personally that information. That's why it's the only source.

The NYT is pretty solid when it comes to Apple information. They don't say much, but when they do there's usually merit in it. The Loop's Jim Dalrymple and the WSJ are the only ones that I'd consider better.
 
theperipheral said:
lol, most of this made sense but that last part made me laugh.

Apple uses a good design, a design that everybody gets excited about, as a smokescreen for a **** one?
Click to expand...

The tear drop shape looked horrendous in my opinion.

I'd also like to see the numbers for internal volume in terms of space, between an iPhone 4 and a slightly taller/wider but far thinner at the bottom iPhone 5 using that tear drop design.
 
what if the delay was because they were going to redesign it, some difficulties came up to where they had to delay and eventually got canned til next model and went with option B, upgrade the current design?
 
DoogH said:
How big of a let down would it be if the new iphone was simply a speed bump and a better camera?

It would be so lame and far behind the competition. But... This seems to be the likely outcome.
Click to expand...

You mean the same letdown as with the 3GS? OMG! The 3GS was such a huge letdown :rolleyes:

I dont know why most of you guys would believe the rumors of a redesign, Apple has made it clear that they use the same chassis for two years, why would they magically release a redesigned iPhone?

Lame? Far behind the competition?

Are you joking? Apple is going to continue to be the leader in smartphone sales.
 
theperipheral said:
lol, most of this made sense but that last part made me laugh.

Apple uses a good design, a design that everybody gets excited about, as a smokescreen for a **** one?
Click to expand...

Haha, I actually didn't like it myself so I'm happy that it appears we won't be seeing it launched... this year at least. I personally don't like huge phones like all the hot Android handsets these days and will disappointed if Apple launches a huge TV-remote sized phone to 'stay competitive.' Maybe if not a smokescreen per se Apple leaked the teardrop specs to gauge consumer interest as a possible future design option. Who knows.
 
Cougarcat said:
The Apple engineer told the NYT reporter personally that information. That's why it's the only source.

The NYT is pretty solid when it comes to Apple information. They don't say much, but when they do there's usually merit in it. The Loop's Jim Dalrymple and the WSJ are the only ones that I'd consider better.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I somehow find that hard to believe. If he was credible then this story would have at least relayed onto other tech sites.
 
Dubthedankest said:
This looks like the final nail in the coffin for the 'teardrop iPhone 5' theory. Let's face it, there has been NO physical evidence for the iPhone 5 and everything has pointed to the N94 iPhone 4S all along. We had all heard this year would be more about software than hardware with iOS 5 and iCloud and the Assistant feature and it looks like that is truly the case. Android cannot match Apple on software. But if a big, laggy, pixelated screen is what you want, go Android by all means.

Those of you still in denial about no teardrop iPhone 5 - how messed up would Apple's product line look if they offered iPhone 4 8GB-32GB, iPhone 4S 16GB-32GB and iPhone 5 16GB-32GB (just guessing on the latter capacity) in both black and white? Doesn't sound very refined and Apple-like to me. Some car manufacturers have less complicated lines than that.

The teardrop iPhone 5 is likely an iPhone 6 or a fifth-gen prototype that didn't make the cut. Or a straight smokescreen on Apple's part.
Click to expand...
I guess you are getting ahead of yourself, mate. Android is polishing it's software with every update and ICS looks pretty promising(from leaked screenshots). Also upcoming Android Phones like Galaxy Prime and Droid HD sports massive 4.65" with 720p Screen Resolution at about 285ppi(close to Retina Display). iOS 5 is already polished to max but Android is catching up pretty well in all areas whether be it Screen, UI or even the Android Marketplace.
Not any Android fanboy but Apple knows what's coming to it. They have to pick up the pace starting with the screen size which we all are pretty upset about:
 
Pink∆Floyd;13427895 said:
I dont know why most of you guys would believe the rumors of a redesign, Apple has made it clear that they use the same chassis for two years, why would they magically release a redesigned iPhone?
Click to expand...

When have they made it clear?

Code: 
[ 2G ]
[ 3G | 3GS ]
[ 4 ]

Not enough data to claim a pattern, surely. That's like claiming every 4th iPhone will have largely publicised "antenna issues".


On the topic of name, 4S doesn't make too much sense

Code: 
2G  |   3G   |   3GS    |    4     |    5   
    |        |   iOS3   |   iOS4   |   iOS5 
    |        |          |    A4    |    A5
 
Last edited:
I wouldn't mind if they keep the same design as long as we get a bigger screen. The 3.5" looks really small next to the competition, but the "retina display" helps a lot and it's actually better to browse the web on ip4 3.5" than it is on the galaxy s2 4.3" (i've had both - sgs2 owner right now). You can read really small texts without a problem while in the galaxy I have to keep zooming in to get decent resolution.

The only thing is LG and Samsung already announced HD (300+ ppi pixel density) displays on their next flagship phones, so this will be no longer an iphone-only feature.

Also keep in mind that whatever apple launches next week will only be replaced in a year (or more!)... if 3.5" is bad now, how bad will it look in Oct/12?

I do hope the next iphone will have a 4" screen, so I can jump back to iOS :D
 
I really think there is going to be a lot of very disappointed people out there on Tuesday. I hate for that to happen but the fact there is very little evidence of an iPhone 5 increases the likelihood of an iPhone 4S being announced.

There is a chance Apple has locked down leaks of new products but I really doubt that. There is so much buzz surrounding Apple products, leaks are inevitable.
 
My prediction:

The N94 is only going to be a revised version of the iPhone 4 that allows Apple to produce the same phone for all carriers (world phone). It wouldn't benefit anyone really except Apple since they would save alot of money from making two different iPhone 4's and use it as a entry level / cheaper phone.

Then they announce the new updated revised iPhone 5 later in the presentation.

With all of these Android phones coming out with bigger screens, better cameras, higher data speeds.. this is the time Apple competitively has to come out with something to at least match the new phones out now. Back when the 3GS came out they didn't need to worry about a race for who had the best features and hardware... now they do.
 
Dubthedankest said:
This looks like the final nail in the coffin for the 'teardrop iPhone 5' theory. Let's face it, there has been NO physical evidence for the iPhone 5 and everything has pointed to the N94 iPhone 4S all along. We had all heard this year would be more about software than hardware with iOS 5 and iCloud and the Assistant feature and it looks like that is truly the case. Android cannot match Apple on software. But if a big, laggy, pixelated screen is what you want, go Android by all means.

Those of you still in denial about no teardrop iPhone 5 - how messed up would Apple's product line look if they offered iPhone 4 8GB-32GB, iPhone 4S 16GB-32GB and iPhone 5 16GB-32GB (just guessing on the latter capacity) in both black and white? Doesn't sound very refined and Apple-like to me. Some car manufacturers have less complicated lines than that.
Click to expand...

The fact that there is no physical evidence means nothing. There have been plenty of Apple products released without physical evidence. All we knew of the iPad 2 was the case leak.

If they do indeed have three models, it doesn't have to be complicated-$49 iPhone 4 (one size), $99 4S (one size), $199/$299 5. That would be less configurations than the iPad.
 
?

mms13 said:
I have a bad feeling that the 4S is going to be the only phone...

If that's the case, I think Apple is making a huge mistake.

First of all, the naming scheme is stupid. Calling the second iPhone the iPhone 3G was kind of dumb, because yes it revolved around the cell technology, but the number and the generation weren't consistent. I thought they corrected this problem by naming the 3rd gen phone the 3GS - which worked because it was a largely similar phone, but now the numbers match. Then, they release the 4. Again, 4th generation, 4 in the name. Jumping to 4S now is another mismatch unless they release a 5 as well.

Second, there will be a lot of unhappy people (myself included), who have been waiting for 15 months, if all we get is a spec bump. The reason people like design changes is so they can show it off, and others can tell that someone has the newest model. I don't want my iPhone 5 to look like an iPhone 4...
Click to expand...
So alls u care about is feeling cool cuz u have the new iPhone!? Most people don't care!!!
 
DoogH said:
It's been over a year... They didn't release a new phone in June/July this year.

I CAN'T believe the upgrade will be similar to that of the 3GS. Please no.

It would be ridiculous. Everyone is getting 4G and a bigger screen.
Click to expand...

Agree. I don't think the pattern of releasing a phone and revising it the year after will work well for Apple in the long run. How many 3G users upgraded to 3Gs? Exactly.

Also, hasn't the 4 already seen enough 'releases'? First, the Verizon iPhone, then, the white iPhone. Are they going to keep on re-releasing the same hashed up stuff?

Sorry Apple, but I am not a fan of the 4. If this is it, I am unlocking my 3Gs and going for the cheapest T-Mobile month-to-month plan.
 
Widashy said:
I guess you are getting ahead of yourself, mate. Android is polishing it's software with every update and ICS looks pretty promising(from leaked screenshots). Also upcoming Android Phones like Galaxy Prime and Droid HD sports massive 4.65" with 720p Screen Resolution at about 285ppi(close to Retina Display). iOS 5 is already polished to max but Android is catching up pretty well in all areas whether be it Screen, UI or even the Android Marketplace.
Not any Android fanboy but Apple knows what's coming to it. They have to pick up the pace starting with the screen size which we all are pretty upset about:
Click to expand...

Yeah I know, I'm biased against Android. It will always be a 'poor man's iPhone' to me (not based on price, but on user experience). I highly value Apple's polish and design aesthetics, and simply as licensees of the Android OS, the handset manufacturers will never match Apple in my opinion. I'll keep looking at Android phones to assess where they are in regards to the iPhone, but likely never switch. But I realize the specs are getting there.
 
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