The back of the iPhone 4G to be made of ceramics?

[doubleatheman]

Reminds me of how disgustingly fake the White 3G iPhone Photos were

That thread is depressing. It makes me realize how when we all thought it was fake, it turned out to be true. And I do still think the first phone looks the best btw!

Over time the 3g/3gs case has grown on me, but it is just a peice of plastic

The new thing is just so ugly and the volume switches are so hideous. Why remove such a nice feature as a volume rocker(sp?).

 

[cvaldes]

Would you believe the iPhone Special Hard Transparent Substance That Is Used To Make Things Such As Windows And Bottles?

No, but I would believe the iPhoneSentAAPLshareholdersLaughingAllTheWayToTheBank.

 

[sgtCaspian]

Whether the design is pretty or not is one debate, but considering Apple's design philosophies and short-term trends, I'm shocked that so many people think these are real. Even if it's a legitimate prototype, there's no way in HELL Apple would release a product looking like that. Which to me means these photos aren't news either way.

It's fun to get excited about the new iPhones though. Can't wait to see something real.

 

[mojoxp]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (just read the threads about these pictures). I think the design is nice and would pick one up immediately to replace my 3G.

Case in point:

She might be the funnest iPhone ever, but would suck at making calls. Might want to hold onto the 3G.

 

[jkester]

The new thing is just so ugly and the volume switches are so hideous. Why remove such a nice feature as a volume rocker(sp?).

No reason to think the volume rocker has or will be removed. Maybe it's just on the right side and those 2 buttons are new.

 

[MacReloaded]

No reason to think the volume rocker has or will be removed. Maybe it's just on the right side and those 2 buttons are new.

There's no button on the right side from the pics.

 

[tayloralmond]

Any possibility that there is more than one prototype? One with NON-removable and one with a removable back? Maybe this one is testing out the regular use of a removable back to see if it can keep out debris, dust, etc.

 

[iansilv]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (just read the threads about these pictures). I think the design is nice and would pick one up immediately to replace my 3G.

Case in point:

You know Peter, I understand what you are saying with your clear illustration. Well put.

 

[jkester]

There's no button on the right side from the pics.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't notice that there was a pic of the other side before. My bad.

 

[Appstur]

Are you serious?

I hope this is not the new iPhone! The design sucks! I would rather have the aluminum back like the pics that were floating around before! The iPad was a great design, the current iPhone is a great design. That thing above is NOT a great design! I don't care about a removable battery! That just looks like all the other phones out there! A brick!

 

[cvaldes]

Any possibility that there is more than one prototype? One with NON-removable and one with a removable back? Maybe this one is testing out the regular use of a removable back to see if it can keep out debris, dust, etc.

It is probable that Apple builds a number of prototypes with different combinations of components.

What is pictured in the photo (if legit) is likely some sort of engineering prototype case, not the final retail design, i.e., something that allows for easy access to the internal components.

Apple is a highly secretive corporation and has a history of segregating internal groups from knowing what others are doing. I doubt that the images depict the final product. More likely, they illustrate the possible form factor for the unit, minus the cosmetic details.

Apple is so conscious about industrial design that I doubt that they would unveil the final retail design until the very late stages of the production cycle. I wouldn't put it beyond Apple to create a bunch of bogus designs to thwart any sort of simple guessing or design leaks.

 

[inkswamp]

If this is indeed the case, then you are the rare cat that Thomas Hoving calls a 'fakebuster.'

I'm not doubting your claim at this time.

Frankly, it would be nice to see someone at MacRumors with fakebusting abilitiies, but I'm not holding my breath.

Oh, yes. Any iPhone design with a user removable battery is garbage.

Interesting. I've never heard of Hoving or the term "fakebuster." I'll definitely have to look into it.

FWIW, I should clarify that I'm not claiming I'm right or wrong. I'm just saying what my gut instinct is and explaining why I'm comfortable with that. The weakness in my argument is that I'm in no way as familiar with Apple's aesthetic as I am with some of the artists whose work I admire, so in this case my instinct could be way off. But for now, I remain unconvinced by these photos.

 

[PhxBlue]

I envision a touch sensitive back being the same exact thing as the Magic Mouse touch surface.

 

[hohohong]

She might be the funnest iPhone ever, but would suck at making calls. Might want to hold onto the 3G.

I rather her sucks than making calls!

Might wanna hold onto the 38G,… errr,… I mean 3G

 

[iansilv]

They have not said anything more than "we have some great things coming up."

I'm a shareholder, I see the way the stock fluctuates before, during, and after the earnings announcement. AAPL typically dips after the earnings conf call. It does not dip after a product announcement.

You don't own AAPL shares. Feel free to be bitter as hell. I've been laughing all the way to the bank the past five years.

DEAL WITH IT.

I'm also a shareholder douchebag. However, unlike you, I don't feel the need to trumpet this fact all over the internet to make up for some lack in another aprt of my life/bank account.

DEAL WITH IT.

 

[sgtCaspian]

Yeah, you're right. I didn't notice that there was a pic of the other side before. My bad.

The one thing I do like about this design (though I'm still very skeptical) is those 2 buttons. They'd have different uses for different applications.

iPod and Phone calls: volume control

Camera: a picture/record button that doesn't suck big balls

Games: won't be able to use them because they won't be available to 3rd party apps.

 

[cvaldes]

Interesting. I've never heard of Hoving or the term "fakebuster." I'll definitely have to look into it.

FWIW, I should clarify that I'm not claiming I'm right or wrong. I'm just saying what my gut instinct is and explaining why I'm comfortable with that. The weakness in my argument is that I'm in no way as familiar with Apple's aesthetic as I am with some of the artists whose work I admire, so in this case my instinct could be way off. But for now, I remain unconvinced by these photos.

Thomas Hoving was a former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

'Fakebusting' is the ability to detect fraud. When the stakes are high and the subject matter complex, it is a difficult task.

Read Hoving's book "False Impressions." It's a very entertaining read.

 

[cvaldes]

I'm also a shareholder douchebag. However, unlike you, I don't feel the need to trumpet this fact all over the internet to make up for some lack in another aprt of my life/bank account.

DEAL WITH IT.

You are full of it.

You don't acknowledge the fact that Apple does not disclose new products during their financial earnings conference calls.

You are a fraud.

Enjoy life as a liar. Oh yeah, you should also read "False Impressions".

 

[Max(IT)]

Must be a fake: no way Apple is going to use user-replaceable batteries anymore

 

[haruhiko]

If this photo is true it'd be very funny to see how an Apple phone turns into an HTC brick

 

[tigress666]

Are those your predictions or preferences? Because I think Apple believes:

Removable battery? No. Design? Yes.

Seriously. Apple has always been one to place most importance on ergonomics/design and have shown they are very resistant to the idea of a user replaceable battery (for whatever reason you want to say they are, it is quite obvious they are very opposed to things having removable batteries).

I like it also but how will it fit in a person hand, the phone we have now fits nicely in a hand because its rounded, but this one does not look like its as rounded and a bit chunky, i wonder how that will change the feel of the phone.

Either way I do like the metal side, but I thought more metal was not a good things for reception?

Gotta agree here. I don't mind how it looks but I do think it looks kinda generic <- Which is why I don't think it is the new iphone design. Apple places importance on design and not looking generic. Plus, Apple does try to go for ergonomics (except their mice which I will argue ever since the puck mouse with the exception of hte current magic mouse they have come up with crappy designs. And I think this comes down to, once again, Apple does not like generic designs but the most usable mouse design has already been designed and it is considered pretty generic).

One thing I really like about my iphone 3g is that it does fit in the hand well and I do think that curved back plays a large part in that. A square phone like pictured wouldn't really fit in your hand well. And it looks like every other phone. So I have a hard time seeing it being the next iphone.

Personally, I vote for very little change. I like how the current iphone is. It's sleek and it feels right in your hand and for me that's very important when we are talkign usability of a phone.

 

[iansilv]

The one thing I do like about this design (though I'm still very skeptical) is those 2 buttons. They'd have different uses for different applications.

iPod and Phone calls: volume control

Camera: a picture/record button that doesn't suck big balls

Games: won't be able to use them because they won't be available to 3rd party apps.

I agree about those round buttons. I like them too. The rocking switch thing for volume just, I don't know- it doesn't do it for me in terms of a quality feel. The first iPhone, with the metal back, just had such a quality feel to in IMO.

In my 3g and my 3gs, both of them have developed little cracks in the plastic, and I take pretty good care of them. I would really like to see, at least if this is actually a fake, a metal surround with metal buttons on the new one. I think that would bring back the quality feel that seems to be lacking in the last two 3g iterations.

 

[iansilv]

You are full of it.

You don't acknowledge the fact that Apple does not disclose new products during their financial earnings conference calls.

You are a fraud.

Enjoy life as a liar. Oh yeah, you should also read "False Impressions".

Shutup Valdes. What I said was that it is not inconcievable that Apple might disclose new product information, even if it was the first time they did so.

And - you called me "Daft-" You've got to have a pretty small dick to call someone "Daft" in an internet forum.

But hey- nice job on looking tough here on the anonymous forum boards of a mac rumor site.

 

[TigerWoodsIV]

It wouldn't be funny without a spelling misteak error.

It would just be intuitive. The statement itself made me laugh a bit, because I know how hard it is for people to comprehend our language. I assumed he knows how to spell synonym...I was just having a little fun.

I do agree with something he asked though. What exactly does make this phone so hideous? One can only assume that it has seams just because it is a prototype. Aside from that, what isn't cool about having more metal again like the original combined with what sounds like an intriguing ceramic design for the back to promote reception? I hear people complaining about dropping their phones and breaking them, but I've had an iPhone since the summer the original one came out and I've dropped it maybe once or twice. Protect your products people. Not to mention, I don't see how Apple wouldn't make it durable, and it has to be more scratch resistant than the crappy plastic back my 3G has.

Edit: And of course the volume buttons...those would have to go. And to the people who are complaining about it not being rounded on the sides, where were you people when everyone was complaining that Apple made the edges rounded on the 3G so you couldn't type and what not with it sitting on a surface? I liked the flat back of the original iPhone, and it never felt awkward in my hand. That's just being nitpicky.

 

[ndriver182]

Is it just me or does it look like if you zoom in on a couple of those pictures that components look shopped in? For example if you zoom in on the front facing camera and ear speaker the colors don't quite match the rest of the phone. Also the sim card removal slot on the side of the phone seems to show a similar discrepancy. It looks like individual pictures were taken from other iPhones and maybe even a mbp or iMac to get the front facing camera then ps'd onto some other phone.