What are the seams for?

Arran said:
Perhaps the seams won't be visible normally?

What if we haven't seen the full picture yet? Maybe part of the phone's outer casing is missing on these leaked units?

For example, how about having the outer edge of the phone wrapped in a silicone rubber 'band' that's thick enough to cushion falls and wide enough to protect the fragile glass edges. Something akin to a finely engineered version of a "Livestrong" silicone rubber bracelet. Nice 'n' grippy.

It could have holes punched in it for access to all the connectors and raised moulded buttons. It could wrap over both glass faces a fraction (like most regular silicone cases do) to grip tightly and further protect the glass edges.

Best of all, it's user replaceable and comes in a pack of five different colors for the magically incredible price of $29 :)

Perfect for AT&T family plans.
Click to expand...

Come on man, iPhone's made of rubber bands? :p
 
The only reason i can think of for the seams is to slide a battery cover off. But then it doesn't follow through on the back. So it is a mystery. I'm sure these seams will be gone in final product. Maybe they are there as an indicator that's its a test model?

Edit: there doesn't necessarily have to be seams on the back for a cover. Maybe where the seams are is how it possibly slide out. Pulls down, so there aren't seams on the back like a typical phone. Just the sides so it sort of slides down to expose the battery??? I know Apple doesn't have easy battery replacements in any of their iPods BUT this is a phone. If your battery dies your out of luck for a phone in case of emergency. So maybe they rethought it. Battery life isn't great on phone. I was out the other night with a group of people in a crowded place. We lost each other. After unreturned calls and texts, found out the next day 2 of the people in the group with iPhones lost battery life.
 
I'm pretty sure the seams are just an aesthetic touch.

No conspiracy theories about battery covers or shock absorption. Just a design aesthetic.
 
Sweetbike40 said:
there doesn't necessarily have to be seams on the back for a cover. Maybe where the seams are is how it possibly slide out. Pulls down, so there aren't seams on the back like a typical phone. Just the sides so it sort of slides down to expose the battery??? I know Apple doesn't have easy battery replacements in any of their iPods BUT this is a phone. If your battery dies your out of luck for a phone in case of emergency. So maybe they rethought it. Battery life isn't great on phone.
Click to expand...

Have you looked at the teardown photos? There is nothng like what you describe in any of them. To remove one of the aluminum panels you would have to take the whole phone apart and remove the screws. It is not possible that the seams provide any sort of easy access to internals or the battery.
 
thelatinist said:
Have you looked at the teardown photos? There is nothng like what you describe in any of them. To remove one of the aluminum panels you would have to take the whole phone apart and remove the screws. It is not possible that the seams provide any Dort of easy access to internals or the battery.
Click to expand...

No, actually i didn't. Ok, so that theory is out.
 
Could the seams be for a holster-type case?

I'm wondering if the seams are there to allow grabbing and holding the phone with a couple of spring-loaded tabs in a belt holster type case.
 
OK I might not have been *ultra* positive by I can't help but note that I said this back in April:

allonym said:
Here's a dubious hypothesis. Apple used to say:



I can't see those words on the 3GS pages but they're recorded here:

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/06/09/clever-antenna-engin.html

Perhaps the metal outer sections in the new iPhone are antennas and the seams are there to physically (electrically?) separate them. Electrical separation does seem a bit unlikely (wouldn't your hand screw up the separation?) but perhaps someone who knows something about this could comment.
Click to expand...

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/9760412/

:)

I wonder if someone could comment on the electrical separation thing now?
 
Bumpers

I'm more impressed by Arran's prediction. Sounds just like bumpers except I don't think all 5/6 colors come for the the $29 price tag.

Arran said:
Perhaps the seams won't be visible normally?

What if we haven't seen the full picture yet? Maybe part of the phone's outer casing is missing on these leaked units?

For example, how about having the outer edge of the phone wrapped in a silicone rubber 'band' that's thick enough to cushion falls and wide enough to protect the fragile glass edges. Something akin to a finely engineered version of a "Livestrong" silicone rubber bracelet. Nice 'n' grippy.

It could have holes punched in it for access to all the connectors and raised moulded buttons. It could wrap over both glass faces a fraction (like most regular silicone cases do) to grip tightly and further protect the glass edges.

Best of all, it's user replaceable and comes in a pack of five different colors for the magically incredible price of $29 :)

Perfect for AT&T family plans.
Click to expand...
 
Arran said:
Perhaps the seams won't be visible normally?

What if we haven't seen the full picture yet? Maybe part of the phone's outer casing is missing on these leaked units?

For example, how about having the outer edge of the phone wrapped in a silicone rubber 'band' that's thick enough to cushion falls and wide enough to protect the fragile glass edges. Something akin to a finely engineered version of a "Livestrong" silicone rubber bracelet. Nice 'n' grippy.

It could have holes punched in it for access to all the connectors and raised moulded buttons. It could wrap over both glass faces a fraction (like most regular silicone cases do) to grip tightly and further protect the glass edges.

Best of all, it's user replaceable and comes in a pack of five different colors for the magically incredible price of $29 :)

Perfect for AT&T family plans.
Click to expand...

Price and everything, wow. Can you pick some lotto numbers for me?
 
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