Schematic Purportedly Shows Next-Generation iPhone Front Panel Design with 4-Inch Display

Earlier today, Japanese blog Mac Otakara pointed to a blog post [Google translation] from repair firm iLab Factory showing what is claimed to be a design schematic for a next-generation iPhone front panel part. The schematic appears to correspond closely with part photos that leaked yesterday, showing a taller display and a shift in the position of the FaceTime camera to above the device's earpiece.

But while iLab Factory's version of the schematic has had many of the details blurred out, another source has provided MacRumors with a complete version of the schematic including measurements for several of the important features on the panel. The schematic appears to have been originally posted by Cydia Blog.

iphone 5 panel schematic1
Click for larger

Most notably, the "active area mask" corresponding to where the device's display will be attached measures 90.1 mm (3.55 in) high and 51.42 mm (2.02 in) wide. This corresponds to an opening measuring approximately 4.08 inches diagonally, but iPhone viewable display areas have historically measured slightly smaller than their corresponding front panel openings. Consequently, this part would seem to nicely accommodate a display measuring 4 inches diagonally at an aspect ratio of roughly 16:9, in line with rumors of and evidence for a taller screen that maintains the width of the current model.

The schematic does not show an exact total height for the part in question, but calculations based on pixel counts and the known height of the display mask area suggest that the overall height of the part is roughly 122 mm, approximately 7 mm taller than the overall height of the iPhone 4S. With yesterday's leaked photos suggesting that the design will see a similar treatment to the iPhone 4/4S with metal edges of the device extending out further than the front panel, the overall device height and width on the next-generation iPhone would measure slightly larger than seen on this part.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

samac92 Avatar
144 months ago
Still don't really believe this.

Especially when Tim said: "We're going to double down on secrecy on products. I'm serious."

"We're going to double down on secrecy on products. I'm serious."
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Foamsoup Avatar
144 months ago
How about this?:


Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeekLawyer Avatar
144 months ago
Yeah, I'd say the details are falling into place.

Only question, really, remaining for me is June/July or September/October?

I always believed the fall, but with so much news slipping by, could it be earlier?
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ciclismo Avatar
144 months ago
What is this? Rumor Day

The site is called "Mac Rumors", not "Mac facts, as confirmed by Apple as well as an independent Swiss testing laboratory".
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Agent OrangeZ Avatar
144 months ago
Damn... leak after leak...

All we need now is for one of these bad boys to get "lost at a bar..." :apple:
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
basesloaded190 Avatar
144 months ago
Still don't really believe this.

Especially when Tim said: "We're going to double down on secrecy on products. I'm serious."
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

gradiente iphone white

Brazilian Electronics Company Revives Long-Running iPhone Trademark Dispute

Tuesday May 19, 2020 1:06 pm PDT by
Apple has been involved in a long-running iPhone trademark dispute in Brazil, which was revived today by IGB Electronica, a Brazilian consumer electronics company that originally registered the "iPhone" name in 2000. IGB Electronica fought a multi-year battle with Apple in an attempt to get exclusive rights to the "iPhone" trademark, but ultimately lost, and now the case has been brought to...