Lower-Cost iPhone's Plastic Rear Shell Reportedly Surfaces

Earlier this week, case manufacturer Tactus was one of several sources to share photos of cases reportedly designed for the fifth-generation iPad, once again showing that the device is expected to be smaller than the existing iPad and take design cues from the iPad mini.

Today, the company shares a photo of what is said to be the rear shell of Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone. In line with previous rumors, the part appears to be manufactured from plastic.

iphone_low_cost_rear_shell
The part is also consistent with iLounge's January description of the device, carrying a design somewhat similar to the iPod classic with a flat back and curved edges, as well as a shift to elongated volume buttons along the left side.

The report also shares a number of other claimed details about the device, including word of an A5 chip, a 5-megapixel rear camera, and five color options of black, white, blue, red, and yellow. The device is also claimed to carry a 3.5-inch Retina display rather than the 4-inch display seen in the iPhone 5, although that detail conflicts with reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's claims of a 4-inch display for the lower-cost iPhone.

Finally, Tactus claims that the lower-cost iPhone will launch on October 15 and be priced at $300, although we place little faith in those details given that any source for part leaks likely coming through Apple's supply chain or accessory manufacturers would not be aware of Apple's specific launch plans. The report also claims that the rear shell is 0.4-0.6 mm thick, which is obviously not an accurate measurement and is likely a misreporting of previous claims that it would be 0.4-0.6 mm thicker than the iPhone 5.

We also can not verify whether this is indeed a legitimate rear shell for Apple's lower-cost iPhone. It could simply be manufactured based on circulating rumors, but even if fake it could be an accurate representation if it is based on design specs leaking through case makers. Case makers have a number of times created accurate physical mockups of Apple's upcoming devices, although they have on occasion been incorrect.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

panerista Avatar
143 months ago
Looks very mid 2000s macbook. I like it a lot.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
monaarts Avatar
143 months ago
Fake.

Actually just looks like some sort of protective sticker on the corners. They all look like they might have one.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RobertMartens Avatar
143 months ago
Literally anyone could of (sic) made that... literally anybody.
I beg to disagree, literally, I'm begging you. Actually I am terrible at making cases. So you are wrong, sir.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChazUK Avatar
143 months ago
Fake.

Looks like clear plastic wrapping still stuck on it to me.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
143 months ago
Fake.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
seniorchang Avatar
143 months ago
The beginning of the end.
Score: 21 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...
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...
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 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...