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I also doubt Apple will introduce an user removable battery in the next iPhone, even more considering that the only evidente for that is simply this small hole next to the mini jack connector. That hole could also indicate the presence of a led light for notifications. Or it could mean absolutely nothing because it is there for prototype designing reasons.

The EU is passing laws that require all cell phone for sale there to have a removable battery. Apple is not exempt, nor do I believe they would make a special "EU only" iPhone.
 
Am I the only one who DOESN'T want a user-replaceable battery? I feel like it will affect the phone's design in a bad way.

You are not alone. I've owned approx 20 mobile phones in my life (combination of personally owned and work provided), and I've not needed to carry additional batteries for over 10 years thanks to the vastly increased capacities of newer batteries. Also, processors and a lot of the other silicon inside a phone, and the display, is moving towards lower power consumption. Just take a look at the vastly increased performance of MacBook Pro batteries to see how things are going.

I therefore believe the days of requiring a user changable battery are long gone. On the rare occasions that you need extended battery life, you can add external battery packs (including powered skins).

Seems like a backward step to me, but I suspect that if these images are in fact real, the unit is a pre-production trial unit and may therefore be useful for testing to have a user replaceable battery. Should this design make it through to a final product, I full expect it to be an enclosed battery.

Phil
 
The EU is passing laws that require all cell phone for sale there to have a removable battery. Apple is not exempt, nor do I believe they would make a special "EU only" iPhone.

Where is your source for this information? I see no reason for this, as it is a law dictating a design of a product. It should be up to the manufacturers to decide on their product design, not some non-technical EU lawmakers!

Is there a link to an EU law website that details this?

Phil
 
The EU is passing laws that require all cell phone for sale there to have a removable battery. Apple is not exempt, nor do I believe they would make a special "EU only" iPhone.

exactly + i think apple also signed the "universal charger" which the EU forces now, too
 
Also; remember this is a prototype.

You and everyone else seem to be saying that. First it was fake, now it's a prototype?

We can't "remember" that this is a prototype, because no one knows exactly what it is.

Removable batteries are nice because you don't have any downtime; you can charge the battery independently of the phone. When the phone dies you can swap batteries and be back at 100% capacity in seconds, instead of tethered to an outlet for two hours.
 
It should be up to the manufacturers to decide on their product design, not some non-technical EU lawmakers!

Ummmm, I think you are missing the point. Laws such as these ae there to protect the consumer. Companies cannot just put anything they want into products, think about food and the use of pesticides for example. It is important for the EU to regulate how companies act in some cases. Also, the amount of batteries that the population of Europe throw away on an annual basis is pretty worrying.... that's what the EU is trying to curb by forcing manufacturers to be more responsible.
 
So Apple fired Jon Ive and the design department?

This is the MOST un-Apple thing I have seen in the last 10 years.
 
EU runs your lives?

The EU is passing laws that require all cell phone for sale there to have a removable battery. Apple is not exempt, nor do I believe they would make a special "EU only" iPhone.

IMHO the EU is indeed Orwell's Big Brother.
 
Am I the only one who DOESN'T want a user-replaceable battery? I feel like it will affect the phone's design in a bad way.

Yes of course it will, you don't suddenly get better battery life by designing a removable battery. What a stupid concept.


This entire thing is bunch of fake nonsense, meant for idiots who don't know the difference.
 
IMHO the EU is indeed Orwell's Big Brother.


as opposed to the US of A running yours? ;)
Most EU directives are in place to protect customers.

For example, thanks to last year´s directive on mobile Roaming agreemnts, now it is cheaper to send a text from a spanish SIM card while on roaming, than while in spain.

that is because the top an operator can charge for a sms while in roaming within the EU is 11 cents. This is set by EU law.

If that SIM card is in Spain, the law doesn't apply and texts cost 15 cents plus tax.
 
Oh please. I hope you've actually read this book. Get some perspective.

Yeah ok. The merger of major European nations and the end of their significance as individual sovereign nations isn't 1984...sure, k, keep the dream alive, I guess.
 
as opposed to the US of A running yours? ;)
Most EU directives are in place to protect customers.

For example, thanks to last year´s directive on mobile Roaming agreemnts, now it is cheaper to send a text from a spanish SIM card while on roaming, than while in spain.

that is because the top an operator can charge for a sms while in roaming within the EU is 11 cents. This is set by EU law.

If that SIM card is in Spain, the law doesn't apply and texts cost 15 cents plus tax.

Aw, the loving government takes over to protect you. That always works out well for citizens.
 
This is the MOST un-Apple thing I have seen in the last 10 years.

And apparently everyone is ready to believe it, too.

One thing I've learned form this debacle is never, ever, ever to both reading anything posted on Engadget, ever again. They have the mentality of 2 year olds, and its a waste of my time.
 
fake

Maybe a prototype unit, but if not, definitely fake. I think Apple legal would have put pressure on having the images removed. Though, lately they haven't been as strict with that, but that usually seems to be on designs that have little change to them. Anything fresh they still freak out over.

Cringe... it looks too Zune like. YUCK
 
1. Someone made a good point: Maybe it's a Chinese or a Verizon version of the iPhone.

2. Am I the only one who thinks that the important question is: Where are the actual 4G Networks ?
 
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