middle band of aluminum on new iPhone 5s - not very Apple like - antenna insulation?

[ixodes]

Job has mentioned the classic Leica cameras as design reference for the iPhone, so it certainly is not out of the question for a two "bands" of different material design.

This is a classy look, but too much to expect from Apple now that they're highly focused on maximum margins.

 

[patent10021]

It's very characteristic. When you look at the trend of all the Apple products to the "unibody" design, the iPhone 5 has followed. Apple has an obsession with thinness, durability, and right now aluminum products. If they could have made the whole back aluminum, i'm sure they would have. Since an all aluminum back would render it unusable as a cell phone, they did the next best thing.

Thank you. "next best thing" = design compromise.

This industrial design review says it all.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12...ody_iphone_5_case_design_antenna_changes.html

Lehman adds, "the cell antenna is integrated into the metal case, but there are still separate Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and (potentially) NFC antennas to deal with. They need to transmit their signal through non-signal-blocking materials such as plastic or glass.

"That was why the original iPhone had a black plastic piece at the bottom of the case, why the 3G/3GS’s back was made entirely of plastic, and why the 4/4S’s back was made entirely of glass. This is why there are the two pieces of either glass or plastic at the top and bottom of this design."

Here are some quotes from different posters on the same page.

I love the notion of metal and unibody construction, but hope the final implementation of the back panel is better because the lines when the metal stops and plastic or glass top and bottom areas is truly horrible - the first Apple design I've had a negative reaction to since the iPod nano. It looks like a removable battery back. I hope (trust) the integration of the back panel will be more elegant than the photos. Hopefully the metal part has a protective film on it that will removed in the final production units. The elegance of the matching front and back of the 3GS and 4/4S is one of its key differentiators. Lines, splits, multi materials is a huge step back.

Don't mind the chamfered bezel. But I do wonder exactly how a piece of solid metal is going to be able to utilize the top and bottom as antennas ... It appears as though the top and bottom have been cut off and glued back on with a thin band separating them ... But that can't be right!

After the original iPhone they decided that all one color was the best look. Subsequent phones were all one color plastic or all one color glass. The back has been one solid color for around 5 years.

In recently years they got rid of the plastic because well, it's cheap and not the best choice. They wanted to get rid of the glass because people were complaining of breakage.

This is the result. A compromise in design (which makes for a stronger product).

They found no way to not compromise design. They will by the time the iPhone 6 get here either with a new antenna design or new material for the back.

You do not see two tone banding on their unibody laptops because the laptops don't require a hoakey little strip to accommodate antennae. Plus two tone defeats the whole purpose of being "a unibody design".

This new design on the back is not what they desired. It's a compromise therefore not a typical Apple design. iPhone 5 = stronger but not their best design. I never had an issue with my glass back. 100% nude.

Do you remember when the iP4 debuted? That was a show stopper design wise. Everyone flipped out. The iPhone 5 is much better in all respects except the design. This time it's build quality and specs over design. Which is great and obviously proving to be successful. I love the iPhone 5. I just don't think it's Apple's first design choice and it shows.

.

 

[doc shivers]

who honestly gives that much of a **** about design. It's a damn phone, just be happy that it functions better then previous versions.

 

[v7da1]

iP5s = more than one
iP5S = iPhone 5S (as in 2013 model)

Apostrophes aren't used to make plurals.

Anyway here is what I'm talking about. Used a pic from another thread. The aluminum band. Isn't very Apple like to break a material up ESPECIALLY when there is so little white remaining. Almost pointless. Seem to be functioning as an insulator. Antenna insulation? It's right where you hold it basically. Even in the pic the guy is doing something but when reading only your hand usually goes even further up the phone right exactly where the banding extends to. See how little white is left? With the iP4 and 4S the all white looked much better and is definitely more J. Ives inspired. This is not Johnny me thinks.

I guess we'll have to wait for ifixit.


Image

I love this new design. but for the record i was debating the black model and the white but it was this picture that i saw on cnet that made me go with white!! i reckon the aluminium stands out even better in contrast with the white.

 

[Sebrina]

who honestly gives that much of a **** about design. It's a damn phone, just be happy that it functions better then previous versions.

If I didn't care about quality and design I would have got a plastic GS3.

 

[patent10021]

who honestly gives that much of a **** about design. It's a damn phone, just be happy that it functions better then previous versions.

It's funny you say that because...functioning has to do with iOS6 and iOS6 is proving to be a disappointment. I'm confident things will be ironed out by the time the iPhone 5S comes out though.

If I didn't care about quality and design I would have got a plastic GS3.

Exactly. And...Apple is about design first. "User experience" and all that stuff.

 

[iSayuSay]

So sorry for hijacking and a bit off topic .. But let me ask this straight ..

Since the iPhone 5 is claimed to use unibody, it means the backslate and the side antenna band is now made of one piece of Aluminum
While iPhone 4 and 4S antenna band is made of stainless steel.

Am I right so far?

If so .. Well I don't know, wouldn't it be considered as downgrade? Yea iPhone 5 is lighter, but I prefer a stainless steel band over lighter body anyday. It's harder and more scratchproof than Aluminum.

Has been using my 4S for 10 months almost naked and straight. No single scratch on the band.