iPhone 4g Design (iPhone 5/ iPhone 2011)

[applefanDrew]

Hey guys,

Before you say "Here's another one of these threads.." please read through everything I have to say. Given some of the headlines the past few days I think I may have a good theory about how Apple will design the next iPhone.

Ok so we know that

1) Both the GSM/UMTS and wifi antenna are integrated into the band around iPhone 4

2) Bridging these two antennae (lower left slit) causes signal degradation to some degree.


Well, perhaps this is how Apple will design iPhone 4g/5/2011

There was a headline yesterday that Apple has purchased the intellectual rights of a metal making company (sorry for the elementary way of saying this). In that same report, it was stated that they are working on a "integrated antenna" onto a metal plate on the back of the phone.

If you guys remember the keynote, there was a picture of iPhone 4's interior without all the guts of phone. The thing that all the "guts" (logic board if you will, processor, battery, etc) rest on inside the phone is a metal plate. So, Apple could make that metal plate that everything inside the phone rests on the GSM/UMTS antenna and allow the entire band around the phone to be the wifi antenna. They could still put glass on the back (and front of course) and retain the same basic design of the phone.

This would be advantageous because

1) The GSM and wifi antennae would be separated from each other. Since the GSM antenna would be inside the phone, the end user could not interfere with it or bridge it to the wifi antenna.

2) The slits could be removed from the band, making the phone look even better. And more surface area for the wifi antenna would then mean better wifi reception (Not sure about this last sentence. I"m a software engineering student not hardware. Please point it out if I am wrong on this one.)


3) The basic look, feel, and design of iPhone 4 could be kept the same for iPhone 4g/5/2011. I don't know anyone personally that does not like the look of the phone (even my Apple hating friends like it). But yes, this one is more opinion and some may hate the current design.


Anyways, that is the theory I put together for the next iPhone design. Do you guys think this could work? Any hardware engineers who see a flaw with this theory? Or is it even possible? I would love feedback from everyone. I really hope Apple goes this way with the next phone as I really like the design of iPhone 4.

 

[Roofy.]

I prefer the black seams. It gives it a more industrial design. I also like the random sim placement on the other side.

 

[DroidRules]

Not another one of these threads....
I say the next i has wings and will fly you to work. See, anyone can pull anything out of their butt and post in a forum.

 

[applefanDrew]

Not another one of these threads....
I say the next i has wings and will fly you to work. See, anyone can pull anything out of their butt and post in a forum.

Except I didn't pull it out of my butt, I pieced it together using headlines and facts that we know.

 

[jfyrfytr25]

Hey guys,

Before you say "Here's another one of these threads.." please read through everything I have to say. Given some of the headlines the past few days I think I may have a good theory about how Apple will design the next iPhone.

Ok so we know that

1) Both the GSM/UMTS and wifi antenna are integrated into the band around iPhone 4

2) Bridging these two antennae (lower left slit) causes signal degradation to some degree.


Well, perhaps this is how Apple will design iPhone 4g/5/2011

There was a headline yesterday that Apple has purchased the intellectual rights of a metal making company (sorry for the elementary way of saying this). In that same report, it was stated that they are working on a "integrated antenna" onto a metal plate on the back of the phone.

If you guys remember the keynote, there was a picture of iPhone 4's interior without all the guts of phone. The thing that all the "guts" (logic board if you will, processor, battery, etc) rest on inside the phone is a metal plate. So, Apple could make that metal plate that everything inside the phone rests on the GSM/UMTS antenna and allow the entire band around the phone to be the wifi antenna. They could still put glass on the back (and front of course) and retain the same basic design of the phone.

This would be advantageous because

1) The GSM and wifi antennae would be separated from each other. Since the GSM antenna would be inside the phone, the end user could not interfere with it or bridge it to the wifi antenna.

2) The slits could be removed from the band, making the phone look even better. And more surface area for the wifi antenna would then mean better wifi reception (Not sure about this last sentence. I"m a software engineering student not hardware. Please point it out if I am wrong on this one.)


3) The basic look, feel, and design of iPhone 4 could be kept the same for iPhone 4g/5/2011. I don't know anyone personally that does not like the look of the phone (even my Apple hating friends like it). But yes, this one is more opinion and some may hate the current design.


Anyways, that is the theory I put together for the next iPhone design. Do you guys think this could work? Any hardware engineers who see a flaw with this theory? Or is it even possible? I would love feedback from everyone. I really hope Apple goes this way with the next phone as I really like the design of iPhone 4.

there is a hole in your theory. that plate is there for structural integrity of the phone. which means that it must be fused to the outside band in order to provide that structure. So, if the inside plate is the GSM ant. + structurally needed and fused to the outer band which acts as the Wifi, you actually have the same problem of no signal isolation but even worse since it is constant and not intermittent with the position of your hand as it is now.

sorry, but your theory is flawed.

 

[applefanDrew]

there is a hole in your theory. that plate is there for structural integrity of the phone. which means that it must be fused to the outside band in order to provide that structure. So, if the inside plate is the GSM ant. + structurally needed and fused to the outer band which acts as the Wifi, you actually have the same problem of no signal isolation but even worse since it is constant and not intermittent with the position of your hand as it is now.

sorry, but your theory is flawed.

ok, fair enough. I see your point. Maybe they could split the plate across the middle and make the top part the wifi antenna and the bottom the GSM antenna. It could then never be bridged by the user and would always be seperated. They could keep the band around the outside just for the beautiful form factor.

 

[actorkid]

I'm no hardware designer, but what about this?

The black band on the lower right corner of the phone is there now for aesthetic reasons. Why not actually chop the metal band there, just like the band on the lower left corner. So now have 3 pieces that make up the metal band. The band on the right is for cell use, the band on the left is GPS and WIFI, and the third piece which just wraps around the bottom of the phone works as a grounding strip. It separates the two antennas and makes bridging them less likely.

Anyone see what I mean? Is this valid?

 

[applefanDrew]

I'm no hardware designer, but what about this?

The black band on the lower right corner of the phone is there now for aesthetic reasons. Why not actually chop the metal band there, just like the band on the lower left corner. So now have 3 pieces that make up the metal band. The band on the right is for cell use, the band on the left is GPS and WIFI, and the third piece which just wraps around the bottom of the phone works as a grounding strip. It separates the two antennas and makes bridging them less likely.

Anyone see what I mean? Is this valid?

I could see that. But you could still bridge it if you touched both slits at the same time. Though that may be better, I hope they come up with a better way of fixing it than that. No offense though, good idea.