I will say with near certainty that they are real, but that in NO WAY guarentee's that this will be the iPhone that is released. I expect Apple to have at least a couple of different prototypes they have been working on. By this point they have probably already chosen the design winner, but I wouldn't be too surprised if the decision wasn't finalized until just this month. But there have been far too many parts leaks, design leaks, rumors, etc for this entire thing to be completely fake.
Although, if I had to guess, I think this WILL be the final design released in the fall. It makes a lot of sense from Apple's perspective.
Sidenote: Of course design and screen aspect ratio are two different things. The aspect ratio/resolution was probably decided some time ago. If this is in fact a real prototype then I think we can assume 16:9 is the future.
I hope they're not real, because I consider the design a waste of time and an insult to Apple's talent pool. Stretching the screen only vertically is rediculous and keeping the same square 2 year old design? Why even bother? And that stretched screen will do virtually nothing to improve the users experience.
You are attacking two things. The square design and 16:9 aspect ratio.
Regarding the design, I will direct you to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy or to a Jony Ive quote "Its very easy to be different, but very difficult to be better." The only issues I have with my iP4 design is fragile, glass back; antennagate; and maybe getting a little "old" looking. But this new design would fix all of those issues. What's wrong with square? It can stand up on it's side; it lies flat on it's back; and it packs as much space as possible (for internal componants, battery) in a very thin frame.
And I have argued in the past that "stretching" vertically actually yeilds more usable space than stretching both vertically and horizontally. This is due to many apps tendancies to use horizontal bars for not only menus but also much of the content. Just look at many of the stock apps like settings, weather, clock, music, and many more. Adding horizontal space is many of these apps would add very minimal or zero usable space. I would argue a majority of apps are designed like this.
Secondly, it allows for the entire screen to be used for video. This is obvious, but certainly worth mentioning.
Thirdly, it makes it significantly easier for app designers to add space in one direction rather than two, especially with the way most of the apps are designed. Sure you could just keep the same rame resolution, but then you would lose the "retina" display plus you don't even add any extra screen real estate at all. And
fourthly, keeping the same width allows the iPhone to fit in all current docks. Yes, I know the rumors of a new dock connector, but Apple could easily provide a very small converter similar to the magsafe 2. And
finally, a wider phone becomes more difficult to reach all areas of the screen for people with smaller hands.
Makes you wonder what Apple would be thinking if they saw these threads and polls where nearly 50% do not like this stretched design and the other 50% being comprised of fanboys that will justify anything Apple puts out regardless of how lame.
Let me first state, how ignorant you sound to claim to speak for all the 50% of "fanboys that will justify anything Apple puts out regardless of how lame".
Now that's out of the way... Where in the poll does it ask if you
want the leaks to be real? That's not the question. I could think the leaks are real, but hate it. I could think the leaks are fake, but love it. So just stop.