iPhone N94 Prototype Back Cover - Is this actually the iPhone 5?

[Number 41]

You mean like happened with the re-release of the iPhone 3G in 2009 and the re-release of the 3GS in 2010 ?

Please, as long as the iPhone 5 is great, no one gives a crap that Apple keeps selling last year's model for 99$ or 549$ unlocked.

At least the 3GS could take a drop without the back shattering and didn't get a negative review in consumer reports for not holding a signal properly.

 

[ChrisTX]

The iPhone 4 is over a year old, and outside of the processor being single core vs. dual core, this is still the best specced phone around. The OS is what matters here as displayed by several Android devices with premium specs and a sluggish OS.

I wouldn't doubt if Apple deployed several iPhones with iPhone 5 internals housed in iPhone 4 casing to developers/carriers etc to prevent accidental leaks like last year. Also, I'd expect a complete refresh this year, considering it's staking Apple slightly longer to get a new phone released this year. I can't imagine Apple needs the few extra months to release a new phone if it's just going to be a 4S, and not a complete redesign.

 

[Dublinstiofán]

This must be the new iPhone 4 with 8GB of memory, plastic screen and rear casing and antenna redesign.

Apple are a lot of things but stupid is not one of them. There is no way they would release an iPhone 5 that is virtually the same design as the iPhone 4 after 14 months selling the iPhone 4. People need something new to play with, Apple know this, thats why the update the iPods every year. And almost every other piece of hardware.

They also need to encourage investors that despite Steve taking a back seat things are still on track and the company has set up a fifth generation device that will trump the extraordinary sales of the iPhone 4.

iPhone 4 plastic 8GB €399 (or €499)
iPhone 5 new 32GB €499 (or €599)
iPhone 5 new 64GB €599 (or €699)

hopefully the first set of prices hold true!

 

[KnightWRX]

At least the 3GS could take a drop without the back shattering and didn't get a negative review in consumer reports for not holding a signal properly.

All things that didn't hinder the iPhone 4s sales in the end. No one cares about signal and drops it seems. Apple played it well indeed and managed to weather through that storm.

And I was one of the people who was pretty let down by the iPhone 4's atenna problems, it helped curb my enthusiasm of an early upgrade (so I still have my 3GS today).

Anyway, nothing of what I said means that the iPhone 5 won't be a redesign, only that we'll get the same pattern of "upgrades" we got before.

 

[apolloa]

Incidentally, the bigger picture is starting to emerge here -- look at the facts:

1. iOS 5 is announced, with full support for the iPhone 4 and (obviously) the new iPhone 5.
2. Rumors swirl that Apple is readying a "cheap" iPhone 4 with only 8GB of storage space and other cost-saving materials (plastic screen instead of glass, etc.)
3. Rumors starting to pick up that the iPhone 5 is, in fact, the exact same industrial design as the iPhone 4.

The simple fact is that, as it stands right now, if the iPhone 5 is just a re-dress of the current form factor there's no reason to upgrade -- it's identical to the iPhone 4. So, instead of price-cutting the iPhone 4 when the 5 comes out, they're going to discontinue the 4 and replace it with this cheaper, less-usable version. In effect, they're forcing everyone who wants a new iPhone to buy the 5 even though a current-model 4 has the exact same features (give or take a MP upgrade on the camera or a useless processor update), do the exact same things, and run the exact same iOS (iOS 5) software.

Last upgrade cycle, you could a discounted 3GS if you wanted to spend less money but still get the same feature set. This go around, they're not giving you that option -- it's a memory-crippled 4 or on to the 5 at full price. Pretty savvy if you ask me.

Hahahahaha, so the real iPhone 5 will NOT have a better camera or an A5 processor, oh no wait, what you are REALLY saying I'd that those 2 things are useless and rubbish and a waste money unless they also come ina different shape and a bigger screen.........

 

[Thedeathbear]

Looks likes Apple is keeping the same design as the iPhone 4 with a redesigned antenna. The iPhone 4 has a great design. Now it is time to listen to all the people with the 3GS whine about how they hate it, but in the end will buy the new iPhone.

 

[MRU]

I was truly hoping to see a re-design to the iPhone 5. I had desperate problems with my iPhone 4 on Vodafone Ireland which is still an ongoing issue with them, (in the end had to get a Galaxy S2 for calls) so have been very eager for iPhone 5... An iPhone 4S (or 5) with same design as the last is not going to tempt me to spend €600... Please don't let it be true....

 

[QCassidy352]

Damn and I was hoping for a larger screen... 4.65 inch nexus prime anyone?

Um.... No. Even the 4.3" phones look ridiculous.

 

[Padraig]

Cheaper iPhone 4 with an A5 processor?

arn

Do we have a rough idea of the costs of the A4 vs the A5 Arn? Perhaps the cost benefit of one chip vs two could justify the inclusion. Could they do an intel and disable one of the cores on the A5 for the cheaper model and ship both phones with the exact same chip?

 

[Skika]

Plastic screen??

Please stop saying it will have a plastic screen. NO iPhone will have a plastic screen, a plastic back maybe, but a screen?!

 

[Kentochan]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Could this have been the iPhone 4 with the A5 processor that was given to the game devs earlier this year?

 

[AnthonyHarris]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A5302b Safari/7534.48.3)

Is Apple really going to revert back to plastic after making their whole inventory of products from metal and glass? I think not. Are they going to taper the design so it feels awkward to hold in landscape mode? Probably not. Would they completely redesign a phone when the model they currently have on shelves is the best looking device on the market? Doubtful.

I think most of the people on these forums have their hopes two miles high, and will be severely dissappointed.

 

[igazza]

Apple need to lift there game with iphone 5, they cant block the galaxy s2 forever.

 

[iZac]

my eyes read N94, but my brain read N64.

If this is sporting an A5 I'm keener to think that this 4S will be the powerhouse phone while the 5 (if it even exists and isn’t just an elaborate fake sent out by apple) is more of a limited (like lower capacity or something) skinny 'statement' phone i.e. MBP compared to MBA

 

[newdeal]

...

I actually wouldnt be shocked to see a cheap version with an a5. The cheap phone is targetted to china and they will want it to be able to take advantage of all the cool features without people feeling ripped off. That will allow them to do it and even though margins would be a little lower if they can sell 100million in china no one would care.

 

[number9]

Incidentally, the bigger picture is starting to emerge here -- look at the facts:

1. iOS 5 is announced, with full support for the iPhone 4 and (obviously) the new iPhone 5.
2. Rumors swirl that Apple is readying a "cheap" iPhone 4 with only 8GB of storage space and other cost-saving materials (plastic screen instead of glass, etc.)
3. Rumors starting to pick up that the iPhone 5 is, in fact, the exact same industrial design as the iPhone 4.

The simple fact is that, as it stands right now, if the iPhone 5 is just a re-dress of the current form factor there's no reason to upgrade -- it's identical to the iPhone 4. So, instead of price-cutting the iPhone 4 when the 5 comes out, they're going to discontinue the 4 and replace it with this cheaper, less-usable version. In effect, they're forcing everyone who wants a new iPhone to buy the 5 even though a current-model 4 has the exact same features (give or take a MP upgrade on the camera or a useless processor update), do the exact same things, and run the exact same iOS (iOS 5) software.

Last upgrade cycle, you could a discounted 3GS if you wanted to spend less money but still get the same feature set. This go around, they're not giving you that option -- it's a memory-crippled 4 or on to the 5 at full price. Pretty savvy if you ask me.

Really? You find that scenario believable? I know Apple is notorious for leaving out technologies that they deem less than useful long before anyone else does (floppy and optical disk drives to name two), but I have a hard time believing that they would introduce a NEW iPhone that is technically less capable than the one before it? Even if the iPhone 5 outwardly looks the same as an iPhone 4, they'll atleast bump the processor (A5, newer gen GPU from the iPad 2) and maybe bump the camera specs (if not specifically the resolution, there are other ways to improve a camera). That kind of upgrade would be along the same lines as the iPhone 3G to 3GS. Internal spec bump with negligible cosmetic changes.

If they did that, and introduced an 8 GB, lower cost iPhone as well, all they would do the same internals as an iPhone 4, minus 24GB of storage. Maybe they would change the back to plastic to save more money. Either way, no one is being forced to buy a crippled low cost phone or an iPhone 5 that is the SAME as an iPhone 4. You make it sound like Apple is secretly screwing people with cheaper hardware for full prices. no one is forced to upgrade if they don't think they're getting a better phone than what they have or what Apple sold previously.

I wouldn't call that savvy so much as it just makes sense cost and logistics wise. They've already got an established supply of iPhone 4 internals and 8 GB memory modules from the iPod touch, so why not use them for the low cost version as they have been doing with the iPhone 3GS.

 

[Hattig]

One is presumably the iPhone 4S low-end device - fixing the antennas to work for dual-mode, and utilising the A5, would seem to be logical upgrades here. The tapered design could still be the iPhone 5.

I just don't know how much cheaper they can make the iPhone 4S, unless the iPhone 5 starts at 32GB and the 4S has a lower-quality screen and components.

 

[Ulf1103]

This ain't a true pic!

Look at the cover..
now look closely...
you'll notice that the camera and flash are on the wrong side, the cover doesn't possible fit the iPhone :S

 

[technopimp]

Incidentally, the bigger picture is starting to emerge here -- look at the facts:

1. iOS 5 is announced, with full support for the iPhone 4 and (obviously) the new iPhone 5.
2. Rumors swirl that Apple is readying a "cheap" iPhone 4 with only 8GB of storage space and other cost-saving materials (plastic screen instead of glass, etc.)
3. Rumors starting to pick up that the iPhone 5 is, in fact, the exact same industrial design as the iPhone 4.

The simple fact is that, as it stands right now, if the iPhone 5 is just a re-dress of the current form factor there's no reason to upgrade -- it's identical to the iPhone 4. So, instead of price-cutting the iPhone 4 when the 5 comes out, they're going to discontinue the 4 and replace it with this cheaper, less-usable version. In effect, they're forcing everyone who wants a new iPhone to buy the 5 even though a current-model 4 has the exact same features (give or take a MP upgrade on the camera or a useless processor update), do the exact same things, and run the exact same iOS (iOS 5) software.

Last upgrade cycle, you could a discounted 3GS if you wanted to spend less money but still get the same feature set. This go around, they're not giving you that option -- it's a memory-crippled 4 or on to the 5 at full price. Pretty savvy if you ask me.

How are they "forcing" anyone to do anything? You're mad at Apple for something they haven't done, haven't said they will do, and may or may not ever do? Yeesh...you sound like my wife.

 

[Tabris82]

I will say that even if this N94 is the same N94 that runs an A5 I would still put a wager on the iPhone 5 ($199 and $299 versions) NOT having a plastic back...

 

[AreYouIn?]

I need a design refresh! I have a 3GS now and have been skipping the 4 because I have a horrible track record of breaking glass.

 

[JGIGS]

I personally love the current iPhone 4 design. Hope they keep it for another year.

I like the current design as well but I would like a version with a larger screen. That's to me is the biggest temptation to give Android phones a harder look.

Throw in a new processor, better camera, 1080P video recording, then your cooking with gas. LTE would be nice as well.

 

[Davey782]

nice summary of all the rumors circulating right now. It's hard to keep everything straight without being overwhelmed, but this was a pretty succinct. Keep up the good work Arn!

 

[apolloa]

Look at the cover..
now look closely...
you'll notice that the camera and flash are on the wrong side, the cover doesn't possible fit the iPhone :S

Which photo are you referring to? The one in the Mac Rumors story or the one in this thread? If it's the one from the Mac Rumors story then you need your eye's tested as it's a perfect match for my iPhone 4 I have sat next to me!!

 

[overcast]

So help me, whatever the new design ends of being. That back camera better be under the glass. Having the lens cover slightly above the glass was the worst design decision ever.