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.
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.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)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."
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?
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".
All we need now is for one of these bad boys to get "lost at a bar..." :apple:
Especially when Tim said: "We're going to double down on secrecy on products. I'm serious."
I'll swallow my iPhone 4 if that is made...
you might end up having to do that...
Maybe all these pictures being leaked are fake?
How hilarious would that be?!
Still strange how much is coming out so early, assuming Fall release. We don't even know what iOS6 is all about yet!
...maybe apple will say "screw developers, iOS6 ships without public beta" (doubt it).
Does seem a little odd doesn't it?
It is rather odd that all of these leaks in quick succession are dovetailing so cleanly.Maybe all these pictures being leaked are fake? (hope not)
In previous years, there have been a wide range of leaks, only a few of which ended up being relevant to the actual shipping product. Many of the others were just prototype parts (or fakes).
The inherent nature of product rumors is for most of the rumors to be false, probably between 95-98% for Apple rumors.
In any case, there would have to be schematics for prototype parts. Apple tests dozens of prototype designs for each product cycle and each one would require a full set of schematics even if the component provider would only be making a hundred or so actual parts from that design. Heck, this schematic could easily be for a rejected prototype of a 4" iPhone 4S.
It is likely that Apple has in their labs a number of iPhone prototypes in all manner of screen types and sizes. Only one design will go to manufacturing and get put in a pretty box with Apple's logo. The rest of them will get studied for a while and most will be scrapped confidentially.
In any case, I am very suspicious. The real world is way too messy to have a succession of rumors that fit almost perfectly. It may very well be a leak directed by Apple to confuse the media and the competition.
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