Yesterday, as part of a report detailing a rumored timeframe for iPhone 5 pre-order and launch dates, 9to5Mac included an image of what appears to be an iPhone display assembly production line that had been posted to Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo. The photo was also posted to the forums at Chinese site WeiPhone.com with a different watermark, so it is unclear what the original source of the image is.

iphone display assembly production
While the image is not of high enough resolution to make definitive statements about the display might look like, the front panels appear very similar to those of the iPhone 4 but may be slightly larger. Suggestions of an elongated home button area have also been made, although it looks to us more like a sticker in the general vicinity of the home button hole due to an irregular shape and an inconsistent appearance from panel to panel presumably due to slight differences in the placement of the sticker.

M.I.C gadget reports that a reply to the original message on Sina Weibo claimed that the picture must have been taken at display manufacturer Wintek's facilities, although it is unclear if that is a specific claim or simply speculation.

It seems impossible to make any definitive statements about whether the display assemblies shown in the photo differ from those used in the iPhone 4, and so we are primarily posting the photo for interest and discussion.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

chrmjenkins Avatar
165 months ago
Also kind of looks like the Galaxy S2 front. I don't think we have any guarantee these are actual apple parts here.

There may be more curvature on the sides where the buttons resides, but it's hard to tell from the picture.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mike Oxard Avatar
165 months ago
Anyone else find it humorous that the displays they're using are not Apple displays or iMacs?
You'd think that an Apple manufacturer would be required by Apple to be brand-loyal. ;-p
Well whatever the case actually is, we can all be self-deluded and convince ourselves that they're connected to Minis or Pros. :rolleyes:

The displays are attached to a microscope, they don't look like computer monitors.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apttap Avatar
165 months ago
They look like the workers in Intel's production plants all dressed up like that. Must be a clean room.
I thought they were ninjas, or something.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
applesith Avatar
165 months ago
Why is everyone surprised by the clean room? What did you expect?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
165 months ago
Wow, I guess this is to avoid dust getting under the glass before they seal it.

Unless it's iDust, which as we know has magical properties.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
res1233 Avatar
165 months ago
They look like the workers in Intel's production plants all dressed up like that. Must be a clean room.

Hope that camera's clean.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...