Lost Foxconn iPhone May Have Been Source of Teardrop iPhone 5 Case Designs

[stanislas]

TBH, I'm pretty sure we're going to be disappointed and there will be no redesign. the lack of actual evidence for this new design is astounding, compared to the huge number of leaks the previous launches have had...

BUT, I'm desperately hoping for a redesign. I passed on the 4 because I didn't like its design, but now my 3GS is getting too old... And it would kill me to get an updated-4.

 

[aeaglex07]

Apple's not a company that's known to redesign hardware every release cycle. Shouldn't be a surprise.

Well, iPods are sort of an exception, but not exactly.

at this point in the mobile game Apple really has no choice but to advance their tech and designs faster to keep up with the competition. Five years ago when the original iPhone was the only kid on the block they could keep their own pace, but it's much different now.

 

[byuballboy]

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The biggest reason I think there will be a redesign (at this point)... is because they are stressing the iPhone itself. If it were just internal upgrades... I would think they would stress iOS 5 and iCloud. I don't see them stressing the iPhone without making a significant change to it.

This. +1 completely agree.

 

[blairh]

If these iPhone 5 cases hold any clues, then clearly we are going to see a redesign next week or at the very least next year. It depends on how seriously you take those cases from China. And if you put any value into those cases, then clearly a future iPhone will have a larger screen, etc, because the iPhone 4 is tiny when placed in that case.

At the same time those cases could (I guess) be a design that was ultimately scratched by Apple. That would be a worse case scenario IMO. The idea that we are going to just get a spec update next week and then perhaps have the same form factor next year but 4G speeds annoys me.

I also don't buy this idea that the teardrop iPhone will be the lower end model (given again how those cases which are teardrop clearly sport a larger form factor/larger iPhone screen). I'll eat my words if 2 new iPhone's come out next week and the larger model is considered the "cheap" one by Apple. No way. Bigger iPhone means luxury line/iPhone 5.

 

[Tinmania]

at this point in the mobile game Apple really has no choice but to advance their tech and designs faster to keep up with the competition. Five years ago when the original iPhone was the only kid on the block they could keep their own pace, but it's much different now.

And add to that that this is the longest iPhone "cycle" in the iPhone's 4+ years of existence.



Michael

 

[blairh]

at this point in the mobile game Apple really has no choice but to advance their tech and designs faster to keep up with the competition. Five years ago when the original iPhone was the only kid on the block they could keep their own pace, but it's much different now.

Agreed. The days of 3.5" screens are essentially over. I think Apple could definitely get away with one more year without changing their form factor. But please don't tell me that in the fall of 2012, a 3.5" screen on the potential 4G iPhone is going to cut it. If you disagree with me, so be it, but I don't see that happening and if it does I will go Android at that time.

 

[powers74]

at this point in the mobile game Apple really has no choice but to advance their tech and designs faster to keep up with the competition. Five years ago when the original iPhone was the only kid on the block they could keep their own pace, but it's much different now.

Agreed. The days of 3.5" screens are essentially over. I think Apple could definitely get away with one more year without changing their form factor. But please don't tell me that in the fall of 2012, a 3.5" screen on the potential 4G iPhone is going to cut it. If you disagree with me, so be it, but I don't see that happening and if it does I will go Android at that time.

I really don't think Apple plays that game, but we'll see. I for one wouldn't care if they never change the screen size. I think think it's absolutely incredible. I think they'll improve it at some point, certainly, but bigger? Oh, well, I guess some people just really want those extra few mm's in their pocket.

 

[Muad'Dib]

It could also mean beveled: smaller at the rear than the front. I say no chance Apple would make the case thinner on one end than the other. They didn't make the Air "thicker" on one end because it was a great design but rather because they could not make the hinged end that thin. iPhone's are not a clamshell design so to mimic the Air would be stupid.

And for the record none of them are truly "teardrop" shapes. They are wedges.



Michael

No, it means thinner on one end and thicker on the other....like a teardrop. Hence the name. But okay, let's call it a wedge. Either way, this is what is implied and this is why the cases are thicker on one end than they are the other.

And the reason they would do it on the iPhone, is like the hinged end, the iPhone has a camera in the thicker end.

 

[GorgonPhone]

to be (redesigned) or not to be (redesigned).. that is the iphone question

 

[Agent-P]

Alright, I'll just repost my comment from my therad

If this is true, then the tear drop iPhone may be the low end device, and the one inside the iPhone 4 case might be the high end.

The publication then builds on this tip by speculating that the device houses “slightly modified iPhone 4 electronics” plus the A4 chip “and even the same amount of memory”.

This would just be the ultimate mindf*ck! All of our theories down the drain. Not to mention all the angry people that wanted to see a redesigned iPhone 5. But at the same time, I can see this as being plausible. Think about it. The rumoured redesigned case looks a lot like the current iPod touch. In my eyes, the iPod touch looks much cheaper than the iPhone 4 (obviously it is, but it just seems like a lower end device). The iPhone 4 looks very classy and it looks like the money it's worth. Plus, in holding the iPod touch and the iPhone 4, the 4 feels much more like a high end device and not ridiculously light (it's hard to explain this since it's such a subjective thing). If Apple increased the case size for a bigger screen, redesigned the antenna slightly, and released that as the iPhone 5 then the new shape would be reserved to make the low end iPhone look very obviously different from the more expensive model.

As for the second quote. We've only seen leaks of the A5 processor in a case that looks like the iPhone 4. Granted this may be Apple doing an excellent job at avoiding leaks, but it's still a possibility since none of us knows anything for sure. I'm not saying this is for sure, I'm just relaying what I've read and what my though process is.

 

[D.T.]

Based on Apple's design trend, especially in the mobile/handheld, I don't think they would create a device that is asymmetric in landscape mode.

Has anyone done the math to determine the diagonal measurement if the display went edge-to-edge (side-to-side, keeping the same 1.5 ratio) on the current 4 chassis?

 

[Muad'Dib]

This would just be the ultimate mindf*ck! All of our theories down the drain.

I think you read too much into this. I'm guessing that was a prototype case w/o the new guts.

 

[Captain B]

This would just be the ultimate mindf*ck! All of our theories down the drain. Not to mention all the angry people that wanted to see a redesigned iPhone 5. But at the same time, I can see this as being plausible. Think about it. The rumoured redesigned case looks a lot like the current iPod touch. In my eyes, the iPod touch looks much cheaper than the iPhone 4 (obviously it is, but it just seems like a lower end device). The iPhone 4 looks very classy and it looks like the money it's worth. Plus, in holding the iPod touch and the iPhone 4, the 4 feels much more like a high end device and not ridiculously light (it's hard to explain this since it's such a subjective thing). If Apple increased the case size for a bigger screen, redesigned the antenna slightly, and released that as the iPhone 5 then the new shape would be reserved to make the low end iPhone look very obviously different from the more expensive model.
As for the second quote. We've only seen leaks of the A5 processor in a case that looks like the iPhone 4. Granted this may be Apple doing an excellent job at avoiding leaks, but it's still a possibility since none of us knows anything for sure. I'm not saying this is for sure, I'm just relaying what I've read and what my though process is.

I'm a newbie and no expert, but i've been following along with the leaks and counter leaks. I gotta say, this bloggers piece sounds perfectly plausible.

The redesigned teardrop phone is the iCloud phone--the cheapie.
The 4s is actually the 5 with more expensive components and based on the iPhone 4 design. That would be a mind blower.
http://applenapps.com/apple_news/apple-set-to-release-an-icloud-iphone-free-with-contract-alongside-full-featured-iphone-5.html#respond
Linked if interested.

 

[jamesnajera]

iPhone 4S

1) Looks like iPhone 4 (same measurements)
2) A5 chip
3) 1GB RAM
4) CDMA & GSM all in one
5) 8MP rear camera (front camera probably the same)
6) iOS5 Assistant Feature
7) Hopefully an unlocked version for US on day of release

I think we saw the case for the iPhone 4S around the time when rumors of an iPhone for Verizon appeared.

I really think, this will be it. People complaining "thats all we get after 16 months", well yeah thats all you get. It takes time to develop good software. Once the software is done, and done right, changing hardware will be easy. iOS5 is a big update (including iCloud intgration), and the one thing the iPhone has over all Android phones is stability & uniformity. I want to keep it that way.

 

[Tinmania]

No, it means thinner on one end and thicker on the other....like a teardrop. Hence the name. But okay, let's call it a wedge. Either way, this is what is implied and this is why the cases are thicker on one end than they are the other.

And the reason they would do it on the iPhone, is like the hinged end, the iPhone has a camera in the thicker end.

Yea I am beginning to think it is a given: it really will have that shape. I'm not fond of it, but it certainly won't keep away.

Actually it might not be bad at all for holding the phone while on a call (if anyone still does that lol). I can also see how, if say reaching for the iPhone in a pocket, it might make it easier to figure out which end is the top. Right now I fumble for the home button.



Michael

 

[TallManNY]

How about this for interpretation. There will be 1 iPhone, period. No more production of older model, so iPhone 3Gs and 4 are discontinued with inventory just being sold down at a discount. There is no memory size options because you are supposed to use the iCloud anyway, you will take your 16GB and like it. Just one iPhone 5 and it looks like the 4. Call it the iPhone.

Here is your one more thing:

It costs $99 subsidized and $399 off contract.

 

[jamesnajera]

I'm a newbie and no expert, but i've been following along with the leaks and counter leaks. I gotta say, this bloggers piece sounds perfectly plausible.

The redesigned teardrop phone is the iCloud phone--the cheapie.
The 4s is actually the 5 with more expensive components and based on the iPhone 4 design. That would be a mind blower.
http://applenapps.com/apple_news/apple-set-to-release-an-icloud-iphone-free-with-contract-alongside-full-featured-iphone-5.html#respond
Linked if interested.

An iCloud phone, I give that a 50% chance.

 

[Agent-P]

I'm a newbie and no expert, but i've been following along with the leaks and counter leaks. I gotta say, this bloggers piece sounds perfectly plausible.

The redesigned teardrop phone is the iCloud phone--the cheapie.
The 4s is actually the 5 with more expensive components and based on the iPhone 4 design. That would be a mind blower.
http://applenapps.com/apple_news/apple-set-to-release-an-icloud-iphone-free-with-contract-alongside-full-featured-iphone-5.html#respond
Linked if interested.

An interesting read. I remember the news about that at the time, but I dismissed them. But as we get closer I am starting to think this was the plan all along. Plus, what better way to get people getting the low end model hooked into Apple's ecosystem? Just make their phone very heavily reliant on iCloud. I know I may be getting a bit carried away, but it is still a possibility as we won't know anything fro sure until 4 October.

 

[Captain B]

An interesting read. I remember the news about that at the time, but I dismissed them. But as we get closer I am starting to think this was the plan all along. Plus, what better way to get people getting the low end model hooked into Apple's ecosystem? Just make their phone very heavily reliant on iCloud. I know I may be getting a bit carried away, but it is still a possibility as we won't know anything fro sure until 4 October.

Agreed. I saw them way back on this is my next and just dismissed them. But it feels like it fits. Cheaper, smaller phone that has the aluminum back, much less flash storage to compete with Android. And an big spec upgrade in the iPhone 4 shell.

How would the new voice recognition in iOS5 run with the cheaper internals?

 

[iSee]

The comment is far from confirmation, but Gruber has in the past offered accurate information on Apple's plans and has on occasion coyly hinted at such knowledge in his comments.

Dude, get a grip. He's just refering to the "1" in the invite, like about a million other people have.

 

[aohus]

everyone keeps assuming that the iPhone 4S will look the same as the current iPhone 4, when past reports, including the WSJ, have noted that the iPhone4S would be a complete redesign.

Here are two plausible scenarios from the massive researching i've done.

A redesigned iPhone 4 (for the low tiered smartphone crowd)
A new iPhone 5 (for the rest)

OR

A redesigned iPhone 4 (slight spec bump from iPhone 4)

 

[Hedrush]

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I cant believe some people on here would think the i4 will get a redesign and the all new i5 will look like the old i4 case. That just doesnt make sense to me. The way I see it is the i5 will be shown with an all new design (teardrop) and the low-end 4s, if shown will look just the same as its predecessor.

 

[drober30]

The "1" means 1 week until the press conference...

 

[brsboarder]

while Apple isn't known to change designs very often, they do if they feel like they needed to. There was a tremendous amount of backlash against the iphone 4 design. At the very least, they will make sure the antenna etc is perfect. Perhaps make it a little lighter.

 

[DJinTX]

The teardrop effect seems pretty subtle to me. Not saying it will or won't happen but it seems like it would be pretty manageable to me.

I agree. If the bottom happens to be 1-2 millimeters thinner than the top, I doubt I would even notice it. It certainly wouldn't be awkward or hard to hold.