Next Generation iPhone Approaching Production? Case + LCD Parts Circulating

[Anuba]

What about the "flash" on the back? That's probably just an LED. Couldn't it act as a message indicator light when the phone's screen is locked?

Maybe, but not very useful when the phone is docked. I don't know about you guys but I don't spend a lot of time looking at the back of the phone. It needs to go on the front if you ask me.

IMO this is the #1 shortcoming of the iPhone. Every phone I've owned in the past had a blinking LED letting me know I've missed a call or received an SMS... getting really tired of having to switch it on to check if I've missed anything. I love Ive's designs and all but he gets carried away with minimalism to the detriment of functionality. If he were to design a car, I have a feeling he'd skip the headlights if he thought it looks better that way...

 

[Thex1138]

Clunky...

There's just something a bit clunky about the sandwich design...
If Apple have solved the radio issue by wiring to that external metal band [a sort of uniform bezel] and install an aluminum back plate...

 

[dodgerbluetx]

What I want to know is will it work on Verizon?

No, it won't.

 

[dodgerbluetx]

Those of you who bitch about the case design, do you not use a case? I just think it's so funny that really all you see is the face anyway. I personally like the design, but I know I'm going to have a cover anyway so no care.

Maybe Apple will release the "iPhone 4G case that makes it look like a 3G/3GS" that Mr. Powell was using.

 

[jonhcox]

This may be a incredibly stupid idea but what if the Home button does pulse for notifications? Perhaps it will utilize a very bright LED and uses the seams that are present as a way of notifying you, no matter if the phone is resting on the glass, back, or either side facing you. The one seam at the top next to the headphone jack could serve the same purpose. I've seen message indicators in roughly the same location on other phones.

That way, say you are in a meeting. Phone is lying on the glass with the top (headphone jack) pointed towards you. Maybe it pulses different colors based on the type of message. So in the meeting, it happens to be blue. Turn the phone around and the two seams on the bottom are doing the same thing, utilizing the LED that makes the Home button pulse.

My thought is that Apple does a great job of doing the one thing that a lot of companies do not, or neglect to, at least. A close friend that owns an ad agency always said to me that good design and good ideas integrate themselves into various aspects of your life, most of the time without you knowing it, virtually seamlessly. (No pun intended) Over the past decade Apple has done a pretty good job of drawing people to its products by doing exactly that. Their products are easy to use and fluid in integration. Hell, my father, a Neanderthal with electronics used an iPod without having to learn it. That impressed me because he still has a hard time sending emails.

I don't know, maybe I'm just digging or what, but I can't help but think that the design choices on this new phone have meaning. I also believe that this is the new iPhone. It is Apple, after all. I'm not a fanboy, just a designer that tries to find meaning in why things are designed the way they are. For that reason, I like Apple. I can understand why they do things the way they typically do; seamless integration and ease of use. That's why I am excited for June- I can't wait to hear Steve's reasoning as to why they designed the phone like they did. At least, given that it is a departure from their current norm. I've almost given up on AT&T as far as a viable Android competitor to my 3G, so the new iPhone is looking like a nice option.

 

[Anuba]

If Apple have solved the radio issue by wiring to that external metal band [a sort of uniform bezel] and install an aluminum back plate...

I'm no rocket scientist but that construction would probably receive the worst SAR rating in cellphone history. Apple is trying to cultivate this image of a 'green' company for healthy people and somehow I don't think a phone that microwaves your hand and face would do much good there. I thought phones were designed to limit radiation exposure by placing the antenna on the back and shielding the front of the phone from the antenna as well as possible.

This may be a incredibly stupid idea but what if the Home button does pulse for notifications?

It's not a stupid idea, it's good. It doesn't need to light up like a giant traffic light, it could be designed so that the symbol is transparent and lets through light from an LED underneath. A subtle, pulsating white glow like the sleep indicator on Macs. OK, technically that would be sending the wrong signal, but it would look cool.

 

[Treq]

Maybe, but not very useful when the phone is docked. I don't know about you guys but I don't spend a lot of time looking at the back of the phone. It needs to go on the front if you ask me.

IMO this is the #1 shortcoming of the iPhone. Every phone I've owned in the past had a blinking LED letting me know I've missed a call or received an SMS... getting really tired of having to switch it on to check if I've missed anything. I love Ive's designs and all but he gets carried away with minimalism to the detriment of functionality. If he were to design a car, I have a feeling he'd skip the headlights if he thought it looks better that way...

You're right it, might not work for some docks. Others, it will. It also definitely won't work if you left it in a drawer or your pocket or the refrigerator. I guess you would have apple put 6 LEDs on the thing, so you could see at least one of them from any angle?
I don't know if the flash will have that function, but it would work for a lot of people. Maybe not you, but a lot. I use to clip my phone to my belt, but at some point I got a phone that wasn't good for that. So, I adapted because I needed the other functions of the phone. Nothing is ever perfect. Deal with the shortcomings if it's worth it to you, or don't. Buy a Droid, or even worse, Win7 POS phone... then you'll really have something to complain about.

 

[liavman]

I think Apple's answer to this is related to this patent:

Basically "Apple proposes the implementation of a dual backlight system ..."

where they can display "icon-like status indicators on the iPhone's displays even when the handset is locked and the backlight turned off ..."

where "users would be able to determine whether they missed a call or communication without touching their iPhone..."

or any kind of icon or for any kind of info (battery low symbol, new mail, etc). The secondary backlight is very low-powered so that it can always be on. So, no need to add an LED to front of device - it's on the screen!


P.

This has good potential to work for me. Today, for me to know if I missed a call, I have to keep checking once in a while. That is not good. But a dual backlight kind of thing will work.

Vibration sounds or even ringing sound is just bad. I had some phones like that before and it is annoying. Like this microwave oven I have which keeps beeping every 30 seconds to remind me that I have not taken the food out. It may be psychological but I have to plan my activities around the microwave so I get to turn it off within 30 seconds, so I do not hear the beep ( like just enough time to finish brushing the teeth while it is heating up water for my morning tea )

 

[Garion]

This design is a slam dunk in the design world.

Finally someone makes sensible points about the new design. Thank you!

I agree, the so called "seams" are most definately not seams as in "these two parts should actually fit together accurately, but sorry we ended up with 3 mm gaps in three places". That's just laughable.

People who think that's the case, are simply morons, who know nothing about the extremely precise tolerances Apple products are manufactured to.
If these are in fact gaps, as some claim, then there's a bloody good reason for them being there! They are definately NOT a result of shoddy engineering or manufacturing. Of that you can be sure.

PS: Everybody seems to assume that the body/frame is made of aluminium. Are we sure that it's not actually titanium?

 

[Anuba]

You're right it, might not work for some docks. Others, it will. It also definitely won't work if you left it in a drawer or your pocket or the refrigerator. I guess you would have apple put 6 LEDs on the thing, so you could see at least one of them from any angle?

No, I would just like them to put the one LED in the most logical location. You know, the side of the phone you interact with...? Does that make sense to you, or is it so weird that you need to write another sarcastic rant?

Personally I either keep the phone in the dock on my desk, or flat on a table with the front facing up. An indicator on the back would be about as useful to me as tanning lotion in Scotland. If it's in a drawer or the refrigerator I'm clearly not very interested in taking calls, and when it's in my pocket, why would I miss the call?

Buy a Droid, or even worse, Win7 POS phone... then you'll really have something to complain about.

No more caffeine for you today.

 

[Minimoose 360]

I see a lot of random talk and argument on the first couple pages of this thread (I skipped the rest.)

In regards:

Having a light on the phone will make it seem too much like a Blackberry, something I think Apple won't cross. If one little LED makes or breaks the decision to get the iPhone, please, go get a different phone.

I do believe, however, there should be an option to have your iPhone verbalize missed calls/texts and other notifications, literally having it project "*Name*, you have X missed calls." every so often. Of course, this feature could be turned on and off. I think it would be even better than an LED indicator in case your phone is in a bag or jacket pocket.

It would also be neat (however FAR less likely) if you could talk back to it with some personalized commands, say, to expand the details of the call (who it's from, what time, etc.) or to read a text message out loud with the computerized speech. This could cause some privacy issues, but it would be cool if it was there if you wanted it to be.

That's just me though, I think voice control is the way of the future.

EDIT: Also, calling out for your iPhone when it's lost in your room, and having it call out back to you (no matter locked or not) would be a great feature...I'm messy and I don't know how many times I've been in a rush and had to search my dorm room for my phone!

 

[Garion]

It's funny how some people just know that this IS the final design when they haven't the slightest idea.

I bit of common sense goes a long way to suggest that this is in fact the final design. We know that the Gizmodo-phone was being field tested by an Apple engineer in late March, and we (pretty much) know that the new iPhone will be unveiled in June. This timeframe doesn't allow for any major re-designs of the phone. All the machining tools and molds for the new phone will need to be finished at least a couple months before full production can begin.

Also the experts from iFixit weighed in on the matter saying that the Gizmodo-phone had all the markings of a "near production ready" iPhone.

So yes, this is most likely the final design. And I for one love it.

 

[jrhone]

Yeah, why waste battery power to fire up 153,600 lights, when 1 could have done it?

Green = on, all is well
Yellow = missed notification or text message
Red = missed call

I like the idea of the Home button lighting up, but I figured that's what the break in seam was for.

So what if I have a missed email AND Missed call? What color is it? All that complexity...I can see the AVERAGE iPhone customer saying see...I have a missed call and its yellow...no thats because a missed text...then why isnt it green? Ugh...Apple doesnt like complexity and having to wonder whats going on...press ONE button and SEE whats going on...Thats also more code and hardware in the phone...

 

[LagunaSol]

Apple designs are becoming more and more generic, first the MBP began looking like PCs

Might I suggest a pair of these:

 

[MorphingDragon]

I see a lot of random talk and argument on the first couple pages of this thread (I skipped the rest.)

In regards:

Having a light on the phone will make it seem too much like a Blackberry, something I think Apple won't cross. If one little LED makes or breaks the decision to get the iPhone, please, go get a different phone.

I do believe, however, there should be an option to have your iPhone verbalize missed calls/texts and other notifications, literally having it project "*Name*, you have X missed calls." every so often. Of course, this feature could be turned on and off. I think it would be even better than an LED indicator in case your phone is in a bag or jacket pocket.

It would also be neat (however FAR less likely) if you could talk back to it with some personalized commands, say, to expand the details of the call (who it's from, what time, etc.) or to read a text message out loud with the computerized speech. This could cause some privacy issues, but it would be cool if it was there if you wanted it to be.

That's just me though, I think voice control is the way of the future.

EDIT: Also, calling out for your iPhone when it's lost in your room, and having it call out back to you (no matter locked or not) would be a great feature...I'm messy and I don't know how many times I've been in a rush and had to search my dorm room for my phone!

The Apple Logo could glow. Thats very Apple like.

 

[Treq]

No, I would just like them to put the one LED in the most logical location. You know, the side of the phone you interact with...? Does that make sense to you, or is it so weird that you need to write another sarcastic rant?

Personally I either keep the phone in the dock on my desk, or flat on a table with the front facing up. An indicator on the back would be about as useful to me as tanning lotion in Scotland. If it's in a drawer or the refrigerator I'm clearly not very interested in taking calls, and when it's in my pocket, why would I miss the call?

Actually the most logical place for me would be the back. I use my phone as an alarm clock. If there was a bright blinking light facing me in the middle of the night, that would suck. But if the light was facing the wall it wouldn't wake me up, and I would be able to tell if I had a message waiting when I woke up and saw the light bouncing off the wall. As for setting it down on a table, I mostly set it face down because of the curved back. It just feels less solid face up. Anyway, using the light on the back would be very useful for some, not for others. I'd love it. You, would have to adapt or get a different phone.

 

[Anuba]

Actually the most logical place for me would be the back. I use my phone as an alarm clock. If there was a bright blinking light facing me in the middle of the night, that would suck. But if the light was facing the wall it wouldn't wake me up, and I would be able to tell if I had a message waiting when I woke up and saw the light bouncing off the wall. As for setting it down on a table, I mostly set it face down because of the curved back. It just feels less solid face up. Anyway, using the light on the back would be very useful for some, not for others. I'd love it. You, would have to adapt or get a different phone.

I'm not quite sure why the call wouldn't wake you up before the light did, but regardless – you seem to be imagining this poor LED as the giant can they use for the Batman sign in the sky. I'm assuming you're still thinking about the flash LED. I'm talking about the tiny speck variety here, something like the charge light on the Magsafe connector. I've fallen asleep next to my MBP many times, and I assure you the ceiling doesn't light up green from that puny light source on the Magsafe.

You, would have to adapt or get a different phone.

Enough with the "get something else" nonsense already. Never once did I suggest that the lack of an LED was a dealbreaker, I just said it was dumb and form-over-function like. This is constructive criticism regarding a missing feature, not a declaration of war. Yes, I would adapt... by not using the indicator, since it would serve no purpose if I had to flip the phone around. My idea was that when I return to my desk after a coffee break, I'd glance at the phone sitting in the dock and see a little green light flashing if I'd missed a call or received an SMS. If I have to pick up the phone and check the back of it, it's much easier to just hit the home button and check the screen.

 

[Treq]

Enough with the "get something else" nonsense already. Never once did I suggest that the lack of an LED was a dealbreaker, I just said it was dumb and form-over-function like. This is constructive criticism regarding a missing feature, not a declaration of war. Yes, I would adapt... by not using the indicator, since it would serve no purpose if I had to flip the phone around. My idea was that when I return to my desk after a coffee break, I'd glance at the phone sitting in the dock and see a little green light flashing if I'd missed a call or received an SMS. If I have to pick up the phone and check the back of it, it's much easier to just hit the home button and check the screen.

I was just trying to illustrate the simple fact that not everyone uses their phone like you do. If they made it exactly the way you wanted it, it might not work for others, and they would be complaining. The only thing we can be reasonably sure of right now is this iphone probably doesn't have a front facing LED. There is a rear facing LED. If there is a setting that made the rear one blink, that would probably work for me, but if not, no big deal, I've been doing without it for two years.
Anyway, that's it. I'm done.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I was just trying to illustrate the simple fact that not everyone uses their phone like you do. If they made it exactly the way you wanted it, it might not work for others, and they would be complaining.

How would a little light "not work for others"? It's a very useful, unobtrusive, minor feature.

This "don't knock the iPhone or GTFO" attitude around the forum really has to go.

 

[Anuba]

I was just trying to illustrate the simple fact that not everyone uses their phone like you do.

Yes, that's perfectly understood. So when there's two of us with opposite views, my next stop is trying to figure out which one of us represents the majority. So, I close my eyes (figuratively) and try to picture lots of people out there using iPhones in different ways, but try as I might I don't get a lot of images of people staring at the back of the phone very often. The only scenario I can imagine would be if many prefer to set it down on tables with the front facing down, but seeing as most people use a case I'm thinking it would sort of defeat the purpose if they put the unprotected part against the table top, no?

I'm not trying to push my agenda here, I'm just trying to see it from an objective, utilitarian POV. Which option is the most useful for the maximum number of people? That's all I'm asking. I just don't think people see the back of the phone very often, and judging by the fact that you want the light there specifically so that it would be facing away from you so as not to irritate, I'm guessing you don't see the back very often either.

This "don't knock the iPhone or GTFO" attitude around the forum really has to go.

The Mac community was never very compatible with mixed feelings. It's so... binary. Like Dubya's "If you're not with us, you're against us" taken to the extreme (as if that wasn't extreme already).

 

[Treq]

How would a little light "not work for others"? It's a very useful, unobtrusive, minor feature.

This "don't knock the iPhone or GTFO" attitude around the forum really has to go.

(I know I said I was done but I need to clarify)

The light on the front wouldn't work for the others who set their phone face down, like me. Also, knock the phone all you want. I don't care. It's certainly not perfect. Safari needs more work. The silent switch should make every thing silent, all the time. (except for the find my iphone feature) I would like an indicator light, just not on the front. Maybe on the back or the side. Anyway, just annoyed at all the people complaining about missing features on a phone they don't own or even have used before. Also: Seams?! Really!? Who the F@%* really cares about the seams!?
End Rant.

 

[Skoal]

Huh? That looks nothing like my MBP! If thats your comparison then I'd say all laptops have always looked the same.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Looks like a crappy Apple Tibook knockoff.

 

[G58]

Replies

How would you know that they're cooling slats?

I'm an engineer by training. They don't correspond to location slots because they are diagonal. There's little weight saving gained by cutting them out. Ergo, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable [to a trained or untrained eye], must be the truth?

I don't think it's as unrealistic to do it as you suggest. Making prototypes & mockups of things that don't ever get produced is common. There's even an industry built around making prototypes.

Agreed, but to what end here? It's not that easy. This is advanced.

I don't think we know the whole story. For all we know right now, the person that "found" the phone might have pick-pocketed it, even Gizmodo said that the provenance might be questionable in their reply to an Apple request for its return. Apple's side isn't being told, possibly to reserve it for investigation.

To add my opinion here, Gizmodo's 'questionable provenance' comment was a very sensibly employed defence for not handing it into the Police imo. Otherwise their actions are borderline criminal at best.

I see what you mean about the breaks in the perimeter. Anti slip?

 

[Skoal]

I guess I will get the 3GS. Ugly looking. I won't buy. The front facing camera doesn't mean enough for me to carry that thing around. All square like. I have enough squares in my life. So un-apple like. I will still bet 20 dollars that it's not real, but if it is it won't go into production.

It barely looks any more "square" than the current iPhone unless your talking about the back mirroring the front. I really don't get people thinking this doesn't look apple like! If anything the 3Gs looks un-apple like.