Hands-On Video of Next-Generation 'iPhone 5' Enclosure

[aaronsullivan]

Obviously you love this iphone so you're going to disagree with me - it's impossible to argue with you then.

But all you have to do is look at all the complaints here and see I'm not alone.

I'm not trying to argue, just understand and discuss, so that's good! Judging from the millions and millions of satisfied iPhone 4 and 4S owners, I'm probably not alone either in loving the basis for this design.

I understand the desire for something radical and surprising in design as Apple has stunned onlookers, including me, in the past. It's fun. In the end, though, I just want an upgrade and something I know I'll enjoy from the get go when it comes to a phone. A bit of a fresh design to the look, as this has, is a nice bonus. Maybe I'm getting more practical in my old age.

I'd still love to see Apple tackle a thin margined desktop (what's to lose at this point?), something significant with the iMac, and am eagerly looking forward to what they do with the Mac Pro even though I'll probably never buy one.

 

[roybertito]

let's be honest here... anyone who says that if this is the final design they aren't buying it is full of it. You say it now because you're slightly disappointed that the design hasn't changed much...what would make you happy, a carbon fiber iPhone? A polished curved back like the iPod touch? Tell me, what would you want to see that would make you happy?

Maybe it would make 50% of customers happy, and maybe the other 50% wouldn't like it.. who knows. Either way, when it comes out, you'll be one of the first to pre-order it...so let's just stop with the B.S.

Some people blame Tim Cook, saying if Steve was still in charge the phone would be dramatically different... that's B.S. too. Jony Ive was in charge of designs then, and he is in charge now. Ultimately it's what he wants.

It's pointless saying why this is a great design or lame one, since we do not even know if this IS what it will look like. If this is it, i'm sure the design has a purpose and is the reason for a minimal change.

Look how many pages of comments were generate from a little leak with some rumors about release dates... let's wait until fall to see what the new iPhone will and will not be.

my .02

I got a galaxy s2 two weeks ago partially because of the terrible design of this phone. So don't tell people they are full of B.S. Some people like myself are genuinely disappointed, and will buy a different phone.

By the way, I love my galaxy s2. I rooted it and put MIUI on it with some beautiful themes. And for the record, I have a 15" antiglare 2011 macbook pro - I'm not an "apple hater" or an "android fanboy."

 

[GorgonPhone]

I'm not trying to argue, just understand and discuss, so that's good! Judging from the millions and millions of satisfied iPhone 4 and 4S owners, I'm probably not alone either in loving the basis for this design.

I understand the desire for something radical and surprising in design as Apple has stunned onlookers, including me, in the past. It's fun. In the end, though, I just want an upgrade and something I know I'll enjoy from the get go when it comes to a phone. A bit of a fresh design to the look, as this has, is a nice bonus. Maybe I'm getting more practical in my old age.

I'd still love to see Apple tackle a thin margined desktop (what's to lose at this point?), something significant with the iMac, and am eagerly looking forward to what they do with the Mac Pro even though I'll probably never buy one.

I agree but i just feel like the iphone 4 look is now getting dated,... yes it is an iconic look for a phone but i feel they can do more to freshen it up specially since the 4S was exactly he same as the 4.. apple needs to put more work into this refresh of the 5..

----------

I got a galaxy s2....

lol... you have very little credibility left..lol an S2..lol you could have at least gotten and S3 ,,hahah

 

[ahireasu]

1.let's be honest here... anyone who says that if this is the final design they aren't buying it is full of it. You say it now because you're slightly disappointed that the design hasn't changed much...what would make you happy, a carbon fiber iPhone? A polished curved back like the iPod touch? Tell me, what would you want to see that would make you happy?

2.Maybe it would make 50% of customers happy, and maybe the other 50% wouldn't like it.. who knows. Either way, when it comes out, you'll be one of the first to pre-order it...so let's just stop with the B.S.

3.Some people blame Tim Cook, saying if Steve was still in charge the phone would be dramatically different... that's B.S. too. Jony Ive was in charge of designs then, and he is in charge now. Ultimately it's what he wants.

4.It's pointless saying why this is a great design or lame one, since we do not even know if this IS what it will look like. If this is it, i'm sure the design has a purpose and is the reason for a minimal change.

Look how many pages of comments were generate from a little leak with some rumors about release dates... let's wait until fall to see what the new iPhone will and will not be.

my .02

1.Yes lets do that,first this is how you think and maybe some other folks, when i say i wont buy i don't.
2.I agree a product can't make everyone happy and lets cut the B.S when it comes out i will completely ignore it.
3.I will not blame Cook and yes maybe the iphone if Steve was around,maybe would be different.Ives may be in charge but he always had someone above his head "call me Jobs" that was cutting designs and ideas of his because he didn't like, to say Ives was and is the decision maker is naive if not dum.
4.I agree it is pointless until we see the real thing,if this is the new iphone then it has no purpose other that to make more money for apple.
We wait and see.

 

[sine-nomine]

let's be honest here... anyone who says that if this is the final design they aren't buying it is full of it...

I can say with absolute, 100% certainty that if this is the final design of the new iPhone, I will not buy it.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Some people blame Tim Cook, saying if Steve was still in charge the phone would be dramatically different... that's B.S. too. Jony Ive was in charge of designs then, and he is in charge now. Ultimately it's what he wants.

Sure, but these people think a design can go from concept to production in 9 months too. Jobs passed away less than a year ago. His last appearance at an Apple event was at the '11 WWDC. He was still CEO of Apple this time last year.

So it's clear he was involved with Apple projects in the summer of last year when the design of the "iPhone 5" would have been in full gear. He probably didn't have a day-to-day involvement, but certainly, he helped shape the design.

Anyone using the "If Jobs were in charge line..." doesn't know what they are talking about. It's just a cop out to blame Tim Cook. Apple is still using Steve Jobs inspirations. If they don't like them they should blame Jobs.

The difference is Jobs could take something with weak features like the original iPhone and make people drool for it. No one at Apple currently has that ability. It's not their fault. They can wear black during a key note but the Reality Distortion Field can't be replicated.

 

[therealjustin]

The big issue I see is that the back will NOT be removable, making battery swaps nearly impossible unless you work at iFixit.

What happens when you want a new battery at the Genius bar? I certainly don't expect to get a new phone nor would I want one because it would be a refurb.

 

[prezasti]

I agree, I was shocked when the first leaks came out for the "Rumored" next-Gen iPhone. So far Apple has drastically changed the case design 3 times over the last 5 generations of phones. You would think that after the 4S used the same style of phone shell as the 4, Apple would make a major change in shell design. Well, as others have said, the iPhone 4/4S where a big hit and are well built phones and major sellers for Apple. My iPhone 4 is the only phone I have owned in the last 18 years of owning cell phones, that looks brand new with no broken parts, after 2 years of use. My first iPhone lasted just as long, but my wife dropped it in the toilet on accident, which is a different story. I went thru 2 3G iPhones, because the back of the phone had cracked and I replace the back in my second one when it cracked, because I didn't want to buy a 3rd one.

Looking at this design, I have to say it looks like it would be a solid phone and I like that the screen is inside the metal sides of the phone case, unlike the iPhone 4/4S where it sits on top of the case. The mostly metal back should last well against drops and make the phone more rigid. I only hope what looks like glass on the top and bottom of the back is actually plastic, so it doesn't shatter easily if dropped. The back glass on my 4 is still intact, but only because I refuse to remove my case.

There is a chance these parts leaks are from prototyping, as the tooling for prototypes could easily produce a few thousand parts, even if Apple only produced a few actual working phones to test. So these could be leftover parts from a prototype design that Apple was trying out. Either way, I think this design looks like a better, more solid phone "shell" than the prior 3 iPhone shells of the first 5 generations of phones.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

The big issue I see is that the back will NOT be removable, making battery swaps nearly impossible unless you work at iFixit.

What happens when you want a new battery at the Genius bar? I certainly don't expect to get a new phone nor would I want one because it would be a refurb.

Is that really a "big issue"? I realize it might be for some, but the iPhone battery is rated for 10,000 cycles. That's a full charge every day for 3.5 years. Most people here, and even in the general public, don't keep there phone more than 2 years (replace every free upgrade cycle).

It might be an issue for someone who buy a two year old, but thats a risk/cost the buyer needs to consider before buying a used one. But likely they'll buy anyway if it's unlocked b/c it would still be cheaper than a new unlocked phone.

 

[benjalamelami]

Really?

I dont think what the iPhone needed was a larger screen. Lets see what happens. I really hope Tim Cook comes up with something dramatically different.

If it indeed is, I wonder what will happen with the apps and everything there is to it on how to use the new screen real state.

 

[tigress666]

I like the tall look much better. 16:9 is a perfect aspect ratio, because it matches broadcast TV - no more letterboxing or cropping when watching you're favorite shows. A taller screen will mean much more room for content in apps, even when the keyboard is showing.

In fact, I'm starting to hate the short, stubby look of my current iPhone already. Can't wait!!

Cause if I am going to buy a device to watch stuff on I'm going to buy something tiny like a smartphone mainly to watch stuff on rather than a more appropriate device like a tablet (that still really makes a small screen to watch stuff on).

My smartphone is more for being able to research stuff or for keeping me entertained while I wait for something. And basically fora device I can take anywhere and will have in a pinch. 16:9 is not so nice an aspect for reading or playing around on the net or for apps/games. Sure it is more ideal for watching tv/movies but you are asking that for a device that will be less than ideal for that period and really wasn't designed for that and really could not be and still do what it's main purpose is well.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

I've had each iteration of the iPhone and this will be the first that I will want to cover with a case. The duotone back is hideous. Very apparent that this design is post-Jobs. He would NEVER approve an aesthetic like that.

Hideous to you maybe, I happen to like it very much and think it looks really great. Between the looks, LTE and the bigger screen, it's definitely peaked my interest which is something an iPhone hasn't done much up to this point.

So if this turns out to be the real deal, I say good job.

 

[SchneiderMan]

Not going to be the next iPhone, it wouldn't make any sense.

 

[kemal]

Antennas?

Am I seeing a whole bunch of circuit board traces inside that thing? Could it be the antenna for an RFID subsystem?

The design looks pretty good. Top and bottom antennas with a ground plane in-between. That is why the top an bottom back are plastic (Glass?) So that the top and bottom rim of the case don't short out with the aluminum back/sides.

I still hate the whole concept of the Cell/wifi/bt antenna being on the outside of a device. But what does it really matter when the whole thing is obscured by a hunk of TPU?

 

[jasonefmonk]

Looks very good! I like the darker "gunmetal grey" to the enclosure.

 

[kemal]

People are so quick in saying..." I won't buy it..." "it's butt ugly...".

You haven't seen the phone nor know it's functionality. Why would you pass judgement so quickly??

What if...

1. It's have magnetic rechargeable back so you don't need to dock at all.
2. It's quad core and 2ghz
3. The map app is unbelievable.
4. Comes in choices of 4in and 4 1/2 inch screen sizes.
5. Facial recognition system with it's camera app to tell you who you are meeting.
6. If you put the new iPhone back to back to the Android phone, it will immediately sends a signal to render Android OS useless

But in reality.....

1. The back is aluminum. Look into eddy currents and aluminum.
2. Aluminum would be great for dissipating the heat from that CPU. Oops! The aluminum part is annodized. Lost a little bit there.
3. Would be even better with that quad-core 2GHz Cortex Abazillion CPU.
4. The 4 1/2 inch version will be cheaper because the extra top space will be used for iAds. Full-time iAds. iAds über alles!
5. Awesome!
6. Really? Android can't run long enough to process the signal.

 

[Snookerman]

Really? You knew him personally and spoke with him in detail about his design preferences and artistic tendencies did you?

I'm sorry to be a bit snarky, but all these "Steve would never have done this" comments are simply ridiculous!

Steve would never have been this snarky.

 

[technicsdj]

I don't know about this. If you look at the pics on http://9to5mac.com/2012/07/29/new-p...hone-part-photos-show-fully-assembled-device/ and the video, the screen is raised on the pics and the screen is flush in the video. Honestly, it just seems weird in these differences. The camera lens on the back isn't placed evenly in the glossy black band. Apple wouldn't let a flaw in design happen.

Either way I am buying the next iPhone.

 

[juannacho]

I can say with absolute, 100% certainty that if this is the final design of the new iPhone, I will not buy it.

Yes you will...

 

[h4lp m3]

I'll bet $20 that it'll look more the the iPod with tapered corners.

 

[Gjwilly]

Maybe a bit better for watching wide screen movies but NOT for taking pictures. Wrong aspect ratio for that.

No, Apple will just change the aspect ratio of the camera.
Afterall, nobody prints pictures anymore.

You view them on your widescreen monitor or your widescreen TV or now you can view them on your widescreen iPhone.
Easy peezy! Problem solved!

 

[Jjaro]

Nice, but...

I like this design, although at first I didn't. I guess it grew on me. One thing I DO really like about this design though: the color of the back plate. It's darker and I think more attractive than, say, the color of the iPad's back. But I'm really hoping that this is a just a major controlled leak by apple, and that we will be surprised later this fall by the design. I LIKE being surprised. I think next time the new iPhone is due, I'm going to stop frequenting rumor sites for a little while!

 

[M33-1]

Yuck, yuck, and more yuck! The standard iPhone with glass front and back is much more attractive.

 

[Bevz]

Wow. a month or two before it's supposed to be released and we're looking at clear video footage of the new case! Not even a shaky cam or a guy finding one in a bar and coyly releasing teaser photos... This is full-on, don't give a damn clear footage... I quite liked the new design, but this has made me absolutely, totally convinced the whole thing is a total fake... The alternative is that Apple simply don't have ANY security anymore LOL. Should be interesting to find out in September!

 

[lazard]

Wow. a month or two before it's supposed to be released and we're looking at clear video footage of the new case! Not even a shaky cam or a guy finding one in a bar and coyly releasing teaser photos... This is full-on, don't give a damn clear footage... I quite liked the new design, but this has made me absolutely, totally convinced the whole thing is a total fake... The alternative is that Apple simply don't have ANY security anymore LOL. Should be interesting to find out in September!

or Apple simply doesn't care because they know people will buy anything they release anyways.